


Tell me does the Sunshine when you're gone?

by Destiel_is_Classic



Category: Boondock Saints (Movies), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2018-12-03 05:12:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11525250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiel_is_Classic/pseuds/Destiel_is_Classic
Summary: Mark the days with a fireBurn your kiss against my skinTell me whyWe aren't falling in love again?Can Sunniva keep her past from destroying her new found future with Norman?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally going to wait to post until I finished it, well I got greedy lol 
> 
> I will take time in between posting. 
> 
> Normally it'll be two chapters every time I post unless I'm busy. 
> 
> Bare with me on grammar, I no longer have a beta and I'm not the best grammar(er) out there. 
> 
> Enjoy and feedback is always a plus!!!!!!!
> 
> I own nothing about Norman or any other actual people! I simply on Sunnie and all my other make believe people!

Let's call my life a model of incorrectness, a prime example of what not to do, a shining goal to keep from happening. With every decision I make something happens afterward. They're called consequences, but for me, those consequences never seem to end. One good thing has happened in my life, one shining star that lights up the sky when the sun is gone.

My shining star flicked a cigarette against a plastic tree, a smile tugging at his lips. He also wasn't wearing any damn shoes.

“Why,” I stopped just short of him and motioned to his bare feet.

Norman smirked at me, “This is what you focus on? No, hello Norman, ya sexy beast,”

“Hello, Norman, ya sexy beast, where are your shoes,” He flicked his wrist and tossed the cigarette into the fake plant a laugh rolling off his lips before he reached forward and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

“They're in the car,” He turned his head towards me, his lips brushing across my hairline as he breathed me in deeply.

This was routine, this was normal. For eight years we have seen each other a total of twenty-four times and each time in an interval of three weeks. Three times a year, for three weeks, we spend our days wrapped up in each other, mingled together until the world reminded us we had to exist outside his walls. It was perfect. Which is why I was hoping that what I was about to tell him he would take swimmingly instead of with a hint of fear and commitment-phobia.

“-and I was thinking we could eat on the rooftop, just the two of us,” Norman waved his hand in front of us and squeezed my shoulder. I hadn't been listening to a single word he said but, instead of asking him to repeat himself, I smiled up at him and led the way to baggage claim.

He kept his arm tight around my shoulder, sunglasses bouncing the light off them so that I couldn't see anything past the black lenses. He smiled into my hair and kissed me one more time, hand risking exposure by slipping from my shoulder to my waist, fingertips brushing the hem of my shirt and playing with the skin beneath. Goosebumps tingled across my flesh, nerves tangling themselves into my stomach that set me on edge. I jumped when he released me and leaned towards my blood red suitcases, dutifully grabbing the biggest and slinging it over his shoulder while handing me the medium sized one. I thanked him tightly and let him lead the way to the car, ignoring the pitter-patter of my heart which seemed to be lodged permanently in my stomach. 

"You okay,” He asked. I stared up at him as he leaned against the trunk and eyed me wearily.

“Yeah, why wouldn't I be?” Smile, Sunnie, or else you'll have to explain things sooner than planned.

He pulled the glasses up quick enough to examine me, “You practically jumped out of your skin when I closed the trunk,” I rolled my eyes but for better measure lifted up and kissed him until I could feel him responding back. His arms went around my waist, pulling against him so that our bodies were flush against each other and I could feel his heart beating with my own. His left hand cradled my waist as his right hand slid up my shirt to settle at the small of my back. Nails digging into my skin and a deep moan rumbling through my throat. I could feel him through his jeans, pressing against my thigh and begging to be pleasured. I pulled back and smiled up at him, biting my lip as I pulled away and he grinned that fucking perfect grin of his.

“Take me home,” I could barely get out as we settled into the car and Norman’s right hand felt my own arousal.

“Dirty fucker,” He laughed as he peeled out of the parking lot.

 

“ ** _Guys,” Greg sauntered over to the cast table, a blonde girl in tow behind him with a nervous smile and a camera clasped between her fingers._**

**_Everyone looked up at him and ghosted their eyes over her, it had been a long day and no-one was in the mood for groupies, “This is Sunniva O’Donnell. She is now the new cast and crew photographer for this season. Don't eat her,”_ ** **_With that, a very bored Greg walked away and left Sunniva standing awkwardly at the head of the tables as everyone looked her over._ **

**_“I'm sorry,” Andrew leaned towards her, fake blood still caked on his forehead, “What did he say your name was?”_ **

**_She smiled, “Sunniva, or uh, Sunnie for short,”_ **

**_Norman Reedus stepped around the tent walls and stopped short. His eyes catching hers and a blush rose up her neck to settle into her cheeks. “Hey there, Sunshine what's your name?”_ **

**_Melissa leaned back in her chair and laughed up at him. “You guessed it, Norm,” Everyone burst into laughter except for Norman who smiled at Sunnie as she held the camera up and caught her first picture of the day._ **

 

I lost my shirt somewhere from the door to the couch and now I wasn't sure where my pants had gone either. Norman’s mouth was latched onto my collar bone, teeth scraping the sensitive skin while my hands played with his belt buckle. Sliding the denim down his legs when I could finally comprehend what I was trying to do. He groaned when I grasped him in my palm and rubbed against him through the thin fabric of his boxer briefs.

“Fuck,” His teeth scraped against my collarbone again sending pleasuring pain through my body.

Shaking against him, I slid his underwear down until I could feel his length pressed against me. All seriousness, Norman lifted up off the couch and pulled my legs until I was sitting back against the couch and he was between my thighs, fingers playing idly with my panties. Kissing and nipping up my thighs he slipped his forefinger into the fabric and tugged them down my legs.

Grinning when his fingers found my wetness and moved inside me. “Fucking hell, Sunshine,” He moaned.

Standing up I watched him stroke himself, indicating what he wanted me to do. Blushing, I kneeled forward and took him into my mouth, “Shit,” He whispered.

His hand found my hair, guiding my movements as I sucked in my cheeks and licked up his shaft every time I pulled off him. I could taste the precome as I slid my tongue across his slit and felt him shiver beneath me.

“Yes,” He moaned leaning down to slip his hands under my arms and pull me up, “Fuck me,” He sat down on the couch pulling me so that I straddled him.

Sliding over him, I let his length brush across my entrance, eliciting a string of groans that played the coil in my stomach. Jesus, I had waited months for this moment, and every fiber of my being screamed for me to just let him slip inside, but I couldn't. I had to make it worth it. I lifted up, brushing my nipples across his mouth until he took my breasts in his hand and sucked on them, leaving marks across my skin to claim me as his own. When I could hardly hold myself up from my legs shaking did I lower myself onto him and ride him slowly his left hand keeping my hips in rhythm. Harder and harder I bucked my hips, feeling him press against the inside of my walls until the tight warmth spread up my thighs and my senses blurred. I could feel myself tighten around him, and I knew he knew I was close because he grabbed my hips and slammed me down against him. Grinding myself hard over him until our breathing was mingled. His nails digging into my hips and my vision blurred as I exploded onto of him. Bucking my hips against the waves of pleasure until I could sense his own orgasm nearing. I braced myself on the couch and rode him harder until a deep moan rumbled through his chest and he stilled underneath me. His hands kept squeezing my hips before letting his fingers relax than squeezing again until they just squeezed and let go.

I slowed my movements until I sat there in his lap, lifting just enough so he could slide out of me, “God, I missed you,” He leaned forward and kissed me eagerly.

Grinning I kissed him back, “Missed ya too,”

Once we had cleaned up and Norman had disposed of the condom I had picked out a movie and sprawled out on his couch.

He walked back into the living room with beers in his hand and smirk on his face, “Y’know I'd be sweet if I could sit down,”

I kept watching the movie, “Hmmm, What?”

“Sunshine.” He lifted my legs and sat down resting them over his.

I grinned, “How ya feeling, old man?” “Rode out,” He winked.

I blushed, “I did miss you,” I said softly. Norman’s face softened and he leaned forward to capture my lips, “I-,” He stopped short. What am I doing!?

He raised an eyebrow, “I?”

Blushing, Sunnie, always blushing, “I hope I get to beat Mingus at rummy Thursday.”

Norman grinned. “Doubt it, been teaching him how to kick some ass.”


	2. Chapter 2

**_Andrew stood over the actor who was playing the walker he was focused on. When Greg yelled action Sunnie snapped every movement Andrew made until she captured the perfect angle of him looking up at Norman and pointing back towards the camp._ **

**_Without even realizing it her camera had landed on Norman instead of Andy, her fingers hovering over the button and he must have known she was staring because he broke character to look at her and smile._ **

**_Greg yelled cut and called for a re-position of the walker which gave Andy and Norman time to step off the set and get a drink. Sunnie took shots of them aligning the marks, setting up for the next scene that was only five minutes later in the show but nearly thirty minutes in real life._ **

**_She captured everything she could until she heard a laugh that made her stomach tighten and looked behind her. Norman was laughing with a stagehand his water bottle dangling from his lips as he looked down at her and smiled._ **

**_She captured it, snapped as many shots as possible until he looked up and noticed. Without question he turned towards her and posed but she couldn't push the button, couldn't capture the moment because his eyes were looking at her through the lens and she had forgotten how to breathe._ **

 

 I squeezed his fingers but let him lead me down the sidewalk narrowly missing a light pole because he was in a hurry and I couldn't walk fast enough. He turned his head and apologized but the laughter on his breath made the point mute. By this point in our (was it called a relationship? I mean, we've seen other people in between each other) the steps were easy and the ministrations were becoming a familiar pattern.

When Norman was excited you let him lead you like a little kid because he needed this distraction and needed you to be distracted by it as well. It was adorable, enduring and the smile that painted his face as he pulled me along to a theater that was dark and nearly empty made it all seem worth it.

We didn't have to pay our way in, they knew me as well as him and we were considered regulars, but the actors on stage were new and I didn't know what to think as they began.

He had his arms thrown over my shoulder the lights were dim and he used this to his advantage by playing with my hair. His lips brushing my ear when the actors would silence for a moment and whisper dirty things that made my stomach tighten.

Day one was always the same: We fuck and ride each other until our bodies and souls were raw. Then we go to an elusive place that was dark or not dark enough and play with one another until the latter would break and whisper, “Take me home,” softly against the taunter's neck. Then we fall into whatever area of his place that we could make it too and fuck our brains out.

The first day was the welcoming home day because it's been months since we've touched or been touched and we needed our release.

The first day was the fun day.

“Dinner,” He called out to me as I moseyed ahead of him. Counting the steps I took and every jump I made as an extra point in my arsenal. I leaped over a puddle narrowly missing the edge of it, barely getting the back of my converses wet.

Norman reached out and caught my waist, holding me close and leaning into my ear, “Dinner?”

I smiled, “Why yes, good sir, I could eat,” He shook his head at me but grabbed my hand and whistled for a cab. His hands strayed against my hips and settled on my thighs when he was situated in the back of a cabbie named Jake's ride. He laughed when he saw Norman, asking for an autograph and wondering if I was the blonde from set.

Oh, how close you are. I smiled and shook my head. Norman paid the man, signed his shoe and led me down the sidewalk until we came to a familiar apartment building.

“Why are we here?” My heart studded in my throat. Did he know?

“Like I said at the airport I want our first day to be romantic and shit, so I asked Louise , you remember my realtor, if we could have access to the roof,”

 _She's the landlord?_ I stared up at him, “What's wrong?” He stepped back.

Consequences. That's what my life is made of.

“I-uh- well I was going to keep it a surprise until everything got here,” Norman raised and eyebrow, but I bit my tongue and made it my turn to lead him somewhere. Grabbing his hand, I walked him into the building, He frowned deeper when I unlocked the door and made an even more confused face when I hit the button for the fourth floor.

“Sunshine?”

I led him down the hallway to Loft 4C and unlocked the door. A couch was settled in the living room, a bed was in the bedroom but besides that the loft was bare of all living necessities. Eventually the movers will be here from Georgia and I’ll be settled in, just for now, it was empty.

As was  was the look on Norman’s face, “Sunnie,”

I looked out at the room, “I was trying to save it as a surprise, but it didn't really go over well,” panic rose in my chest.

“I, uh, I met this PR rep who needs someone to cover his events he, uh, he mainly hosts along the East Coast so I'll be here for most of the year, but I'm not a set photographer. I-I worked it out with him so that I can still go the show and any other events that get signed for more than the eight thousand through him,” I felt my heart dropped somewhere into northern Mexico but I couldn't shut up.

My mind was on overdrive and my mouth was kicking it into high gear, “I figured since I could be here almost full time that I might as well move here and then we can see each other more than three times a year. We can- we can be together.” There it was all out in the open and Norman wasn't saying anything and I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

_Why couldn't you have just kept a straight face when he showed you the building and waited like you planned!?_

I watched him walk into the living room his hand coming up to brush across the couch before moving over to the kitchen island and running his fingers over the marble top. Before making his way back over to me and looking around the loft, his blue eyes searching and searching and searching.

“This place is yours?” I hadn't noticed the echo until his voice rang out around the room. I nodded, “As of last month when I sent, well I guess it was Louise the signed lease, it's mine,” He stepped closer to me,

“But, I-uh had to wait until this month to schedule the move,” His hand grabbed my waist and pulled me closer “and the movers won't even start sending shit up until the end of next week,”

His face leaned down towards me, “But I won't be here all the time and I-” his mouth interrupted my stream of consciousness. I couldn't help the moan that slipped up my throat because, fuck, Norman knew how to shut a girl up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to add a little more to go into a depth a bit more with the story. 
> 
> Let me know what you think!!


	3. Chapter 3

**_“Sunnie,” Chandler yelled for the blonde who turned sharply on her heel to look at him._ **

**_He was holding up a piece of paper that Sunnie knew was his English report she'd been helping with. She sat down beside him and pulled the paper out of his hand, “You sure you didn't copy and paste any of this?”_ **

**_Chandler looked at her over a pair of sunglasses, “I promise.”_ **

**_“-ight, gimme a moment and I'll read it over,” She watched him pull his phone out before she started to read. The kid was as smart as they come but for some reason he had trouble creating argumentative essays. Sunnie wasn't the best herself, but after four years as an English major, she picked up and a thing or two._ **

**_“Here,” She underlined an argument point that made his opening line a hypocritical phrase,_ **

**_“Don't ever rehash what you started with unless you're starting sentence is just a prototype. You never want to contradict yourself,” Chandler took the paper back and began re-writing the sentence._ **

**_Sunnie took this time to capture the moment. Let the world see Chandler for the hardworking student actor he is but before she could find the angle a presence raised goosebumps across her skin. She turned and came face to face with Norman’s blue eyes._ **

**_He smiled, “Hi,” without any further word he sat down next to her._ **

**_“Hey,” Sunnie tried to keep her cool._ **

**_Every Fangirl muscle in her body wanted to jump and scream and shout because Norman Reedus was sitting right next to her and he smelled like deodorant and grass_ **

**_. “For a month I've been trying to figure out why no-one has told me your name,” He fingered her camera, “All I got for you is Sunshine,”_ **

**_Chandler snorted next to them, “Her name is Sunnie, Norman that's why we all thought you knew_ **

 

 

Day two normally consists of us trying to out-weird each other in some ridiculous way. Who has the worst taste in movie? Norman. Whose music sounds like death on a keyboard? Me apparently. Who can touch their tongue to their nose and bounce on one leg? Me, but he sure did try. It was about catching up and getting to know each other all over again because when I'm on set I'm always busy and when we're on the road we never talk, but this second day was different than the last second days.

The light was shining brighter than it should have been coming through Norman’s bedroom window, but that might be because I wasn't in Norman’s bedroom. Looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling I felt the coolness of the room around me and realized I was in my bed in my new loft. Lifting up I ignored the pounding in my head from the whiskey last night I tried to remember how I had gotten here and where Norman was. He was a sweet guy who almost never left you in bed without a reason why.

Yet.. “Hey,” I called out hoping more than anything to hear a response back but was just met with silence. I pushed back the worry that decided to crawl up my chest and climbed out of the bed. Finding my pants on the living room floor I jumped into them before pulling my phone out of my purse.

No texts.

No calls.

Okay, this definitely isn't like Norman what-so-fucking-ever Norman always woke me up to let me know he was heading out or I was left with a quickly scrawled note or rushed text when he was out the door. I looked around the apartment and felt a weight settle on my chest at the thought that I did this. I scared him off...freaked him the fuck out because no matter how good of a guy Norman is I knew what I was getting into with our relationship. Both of us had commitment issues and were broken fucking people, but I went for a choice and I made it without checking all the boxes. Now he was gone, and I was sitting in my new living room with no bra.

“Fuck!” I screamed fighting the urge to throw my phone across the room and instead squeezed it so tight in my hand I mentally waited for a crack. Way to go, Sunniva, the one good thing in your life and you ruined it.

I didn't try to.

I tried so hard to keep it all in check and settled in but no matter what decisions I make, I always mess shit up. Looking down at my phone I decided I might as well move up the date of getting my shit here. I wanted my pillows and blankets if I'm going to be a broken hearted fucker this week.

Dialing the mover's number, I got a person immediately and was able to talk to them about getting half my stuff here by Wednesday night.

“It'll cost extra, ma'am,” The woman, her name was Dina, said carefully.

“How much?” I expected this. This stuff I can control.

“About two fifty so that we can overnight it there on a plane instead-”

“-Of driving it like I had planned. That's okay tell me how to pay it, and I'll have the money to you,” and she did.

All I had to do was go on the website and update my information, and it would all be done. Until Wednesday, I needed shit in my apartment. Looking around, I could feel the numbing pain setting fire inside my chest burning the small amount of life I had in there.

Pieces of me knew I was overreacting. _This is what you do, Sunniva, you ruin things. I_ knew I was being too cautious, and I should be trying to call Norman or text him because maybe he had to rush out for an emergency. But, my head didn't run like that. If I tried to dial his number, I lost my voice and my stomach would tighten until I could feel my insides fighting back, and I would just ignore his name. Move on to Facebook or Google or something that wasn't him.

“Hey, Google where's the nearest bed bath and beyond?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely adore the feedback and I guess it's my addiction cuz it keeps me writing.


	4. Chapter 4

_**“Why does it seem like you're scared of him,” One of the walker actresses leaned over the table to smile at Sunnie who tried to smile back but the makeup was disconcerting.** _

_**She snapped a few moments and focused on those until the actress waved her rotting hand in front of her face.** _

_**Sunnie raised and eyebrow, “Yes?” The actress, Catherine, nodded towards Reedus who was trying to get another zombie to fake bite his neck, “Why do you seem scared of him?”** _

_**Sunnie blushed, “I'm not,”** _

_**Catherine rolled her eyes, “He stares at you like the sun rises out of your ridiculously blonde hair but you look away from him if you don't have that thing attached to your face."** _

_**Sunnie snapped a photo of Catherine rolling her eyes, “I'm trying to keep my distance,”** _

_**“Why?” Sunnie frowned and fiddled with her camera.** _

_**Why? Maybe because I get butterflies in my stomach around him and he makes me nervous and I don't know how to breathe if he's in the same vicinity as me and that's fucking terrifying. Because I've been hurt and fucked over and my life is a shit show, and someone like him will just make me fall until I can't pick myself back up. Because I don't want to actually love him.** _

_**“It's the hair."** _

 

\------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Thanks,” I paid the cabbie and grabbed all of my bags out of the trunk. I may have gone a little overboard, but I need sheets and blankets and comfort food.

Trudging up the stairs with six heavy bags lugging me down, I came up short when I saw him sitting in front of my door. His sunglasses covering his eyes, nose on his phone clicking away when he looked up I felt a buzz and realized he had been texting me.

He realized I was standing there. “Sunshine!” Norman jumped to his feet and stood awkwardly in front of me.

I nodded, “Sup,” my eyes keeping low to make sure I didn't catch his blue orbs.

He grunted and I felt him trying to grab the bag strapped onto my right arm. I looked up then and caught his cheek with my lips Norman turned his head and we were kissing but it was brief and before I knew it had happened he pulled away with half my bags in his hands.

I frowned, “You don't have to do that.” Staying neutral.

He shrugged if you could call what his shoulders did a shrug, “You looked like you were strugglin’ so I helped,” walking around him I dug through my keys and unlocked the door.

The loft was cold and empty, and I felt even more sure that I needed the items I had purchased. Norman moved past me and set them all on the island

. The island that still had my underwear hanging off a hook because he'd fucked me hard then left me worrying. No, not worrying because you have nothing to worry about.

“So, you bought blankets and sheets?” He pulled items out one by one, “Food and towels plus shampoo and toothpaste,”

Something changed in his voice as he listed each item off one by one until my island was covered in merchandise and his blue eyes were looking over me. I picked up my new fuzzy blanket and unraveled it throwing it over my shoulder and staring back at him.

“Yeah, the movers won't be here until Wednesday and I needed overnight supplies,”

Norman nodded, “Why,”

_Because you left,_ “I thought if I was going to be sleeping here I would need a blanket,” he nodded, “Some hygiene materials,” another nod, “and sustenance,” Again he nodded,

“I have all these items.”

I paused but the words wouldn't stay inside me,“You left me this morning,”

He didn't say anything for a long time as we stood there staring at one another. Day two was supposed to be about catching up but for some reason I felt like all this time we'd spent together was slipping away, and I was looking back at Norman Reedus whose smile made my chest hurt and presence intimidated the shit out of me. That we were back to him being an actor who was a badass in all forms of the word, and I was just some twenty-six-year-old photographer who got fucking lucky enough to catch a break. Whose wounds were still healing and mind wasn't ready for those fucking blue eyes to be looking at me the way they were.

Norman moved from his side of the Island coming to stand next to me and turned me to face him, “Sunshine-”

“Norman.” He kissed me but pulled back and looked down at the island.

“You beat me to the fucking finish line,”

“What?” _What?_

His hands found my waist, and those blue eyes looked anywhere but at me, as his mouth moved quicker than my ears could pick up, “I'm not fucking good at this shit. I do relationships, but I always kept them at a distance. Only with you, you were so far away I had no hope of ruining what we were building. Then I realized we'd been fucking ‘round for eight years, and I think I was falling in love with you, but I couldn't see it. Not until I got that call that you were on your way and then it fucking hit me. I would wait for those two days it takes you to get to me for you to be here. I'd agonize over what I would say to you and how I'd say it, and it would take Ming to remind me that you were fucking chill and I needed to relax,” His hands tightened on my hips before he let me go and stepped back.

“So I had come up with this plan that after dinner I’d give you a key and not tell you what it was until I asked you to open my door and it would be yours. I even fucking moved some shit out of my closet because I knew you needed room for your stuff and all I could think was where would her couch go-” he stopped and looked at me for the first time since he started talking.

“Norman, I-I don't-”

He flipped his wrist and laughed, “I was going to ask ya to move in with me,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small clarification :) Sunnie is 26/27 in the bold flashbacks and is now 34/35 in the present. 
> 
> I hopefully edited it enough so that's a little clearer..I apologize.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Sunnie's eyes were burning, and, somehow, along the way she had gotten zombie blood all over her clothes. If she were to be stopped right now she may be arrested. She didn't have to stay in a trailer or in a hotel, she got lucky and literally lived one town over in the apartment behind her aunt, but she couldn't get there quick enough, and she was tired as hell._ **

**_Her camera had fucked up during a shoot of the first huge walker horde and she had to improvise with her smaller camera which means she got real close and personal with the actors and somehow she ended up almost underneath Norman when he stabbed a walker and she got to taste the fake blood as it dripped down the actor._ **

**_She had almost forgotten how to move right when Norman looked down at her and winked, fucking winked. While covered in gross walker makeup and sweating his ass off, he looked gorgeous doing it, and Sunnie had lost her stomach somewhere on set. Greg took advantage of how well she could blend in with the hordes of Walkers and asked her if she wanted to start being an extra. She'd get the shots she needed and a little extra cash in her pocket._ **

**_She couldn't remember if she had said yes or no because Norman was standing behind them being checked by the makeup girl and he smiled the whole damn time as if he knew she was looking._ **

**_He probably did._ **

**_At the end of the whole day she had wanted to go home and relax, but it was nearly four in the morning and she was back on set at nine. It took almost forty minutes to get home. She was going to die._ **

**_Which is how she wound up sleeping in her car and being jarred awake by loud rapping against her window. When she checked to see who the possible rapist was it was only Norman smiling in at her and motioning for her to unlock the door. Stupidly she did so, and he stood against the open door without a shirt on. And did she speak English her whole life, or was it a second language to “oh my god?”_ **

**_“Why ya sleepin' in your car?” His fucking voice._ **

**_She rubbed her eyes, “Tired and my house is too far away.”_ **

**_He nodded, “I got a bed,"_ **

 

The ice cream was far colder than I had hoped, but the more I thought about it the stupider I felt. Of course, it was cold, IT WAS ICE CREAM.

“You haven't said anything since we left the loft,” Norman nudge my arm, and I tried not to be irritated that the nudge caused me to bite the ice cream instead of lick.

Down puppy of anger, down.

“I haven't known what to say,” Yes I have. Yes. Yes, I'll move in with you. But then I'd have to get rid of my loft, and I just got my loft, and what happens if you decide I'm not good enough anymore, and then I'm right back where I started.

He nodded, “You don't have’ta make a decision now. Let's have some fun before the serious shit has to happen.”

I looked up at him, “What kind of fun?” _The jumping off a bridge kind?_

“Fuck if I know. Any kind of fun, I promised to take ya on my bike,” he shoved the ice cream in his mouth.

“I've been thinking about that. Wouldn't the angle be all wrong?”

Norman nearly choked, and I had to pat him on his back until his face turned back into an almost normal color before he looked up at me with a sheepish grin, “I have a kick stand for a reason,”

 

My hand gripped his waist tighter than I knew was comfortable, but Norman didn't complain. I was too fucking scared to think about letting go. The bike was fast. I've been on fast before but for some inane reason all I could think about was us crashing and that I'd die before I could tell him: "Yeah, I'll move in with you but you were a dick this morning, so I might keep my loft!"

Maybe.

If I did say yes, and we moved in together, we'd probably be officially together. Then it would no longer be this thing that just made life easier. We'd be a couple, and he would expect things from me and I would expect things from him and God only knew what kind of things we would be expecting. He took a sharp turn that caused me to gasp against his shoulder, I could feel his stomach tighten with laughter, and he reached down to rub my hand. It made me feel better.

A little.

When I felt him slow down enough that I didn't hear the death howls of wind rushing by me I looked out and stared in awe at our surrounding. The landscape was flat but beautiful as rows of fields stretched out on either side of us. It was rare to see the stars in New York but Norman had found the perfect location to see the whole damn universe above us. It made my heart clench as I looked up at the sky and was enraptured by the sheer beauty of the surrounding sight.

Without realizing it Norman had slowed the bike down until we came to a complete stop just on the edge of a hill. He helped me off and even helped me remove the helmet before smiling at me and taking my hand. I knew this side of Norman, I saw this side of him in Georgia when he got away from the world and is himself in the mountains and forests. This was the true side of Norman that was free and limitless.

He was fucking beautiful.

“I found it a few years back and sometimes when I need to think I'll just ride until I end up here,” He mumbled taking my hand to lead me up the hill. I nearly slipped a few times because for some reason he didn't take into consideration my shit ass converses, but he just helped me up until we stood over the edge. We looked over a pond sparkling from the stars and again my chest constructed by the sheer beauty. I wanted to take a photo. I wanted to capture this moment and hold it inside of my heart and mind forever every time I saw it.

I didn't have a camera though and something foreign crawled its way up my stomach to dig panic into my chest. I had my camera with me everywhere I went, especially when Norman was involved, but for the first time in eight years it was him and I and no screen to hide behind.

“Sunnie,” He pulled my attention back to him. I looked up at his face barely able to make out his eyes but I could see them shining,

“Yeah,” He brushed a finger across my cheek,

“You're so damn beautiful,” His finger moved from my cheek to my neck and soon his fingers were running through my hair, “I look at you and I see this incredible woman who picked herself up over and over again until she couldn't fall anymore. I see a woman I want to wake up next to every chance I get, a woman I would give my life to keep with me,” His voice got softer and softer the more he spoke and I shivered against his chest.

“Norman,” I started, but he pulled my face to his and captured my lips before I could say something to fuck everything up. The kiss was sweet and real and made my stomach unfurl with butterflies as his left hand found my waist and pulled me tight against him. I grabbed his neck, my other arm wrapping around his shoulder to pull our faces closer as the kiss grew deeper.

He moved his hand to run up my shirt trailing his fingertips across my skin until goosebumps formed beneath his touch. I felt him smile as he traced my back and I laughed against his mouth. He lit my body on fire with just simple touches and I could tell the effect I had on him by how hard his heart was beating. Not to mention the obvious arousal that was pressing against my hip the closer he pulled me to him.

My senses were on fire as his tongue moved with mine and I shifted to remove the jacket from his shoulders. He caught it with the hand that was in my hair and laid it behind us. Breaking the kiss long enough to push my own jacket up and lift my shirt up over my head. My breath quickened as his eye scanned over me, and he bit his lip, “Damn,” he whispered.

I smiled hoping the darkness hid my blush as I ran my own hands up his sides and slipped his shirt off. His body was warm beneath my palms and I traced my finger over his Norman tattoo before kissing along the ink. He shivered beneath my lips, hands moving my lower half against him and I took the opportunity to bite down. He moaned, tilting his head back and shivering harder when I sucked on his skin making sure I would leave a mark.

I would state my claim.

“Sunshine,” he groaned before yanking my head back and forcing his mouth on mine. My mind was dizzy as we hurried to undress each other, my hands reaching for his cock when he had his pants pulled down enough to show he definitely wasn't wearing boxers.

“Exhibitionist,” I murmured. He laughed,

“You're fucking sexy as hell,” He helped lead me down to the ground until my back was on his jacket, and he was reaching between my legs to slip his fingers inside me, “Sunshine,” he moaned before moving them against my walls, His thumb circling my clit until I was quaking beneath his touch. I wanted to feel him. I needed to touch him.

I reached my hand down to rub him, but he stopped me, “I want this to be about you,” I didn't know exactly what he meant until he replaced his fingers with his cock and I was moaning as he filled me up. He felt fucking incredible as he moved within me, pressing me closer and closer to him until I could feel every single inch of him as he slid in and out, harder and faster than slow and agonizing. I couldn't think straight as he moved my bra cup down and took my nipple into my mouth. Sending hot shivers down my spine to settle in that heating pool in my stomach that was tightening more and more as he moved in me.

“Norman,” I moaned and felt him groan around my breast, “Jesus Norman,” I couldn't breathe or think as he bit down on my nipple and slammed into me and my world slid out of focus as waves of pleasure rolled through my body. Somewhere in the back of my mind I could hear him groan and feel him pounding harder into me but I couldn't process what was happening around the stars in my mind until I felt him still and release himself inside of me. His movement slowing as we both came down from our high and the cold air around us settled on our damp skin.

Norman buried his face into my neck and kissed my sensitive skin, “I'm going to pull out,” he whispered.

I nodded and held myself together as he slipped out of me, I could feel him drip down my leg. I looked down at myself trying not to shove against the sudden cold that raced over my skin. I heard him shift next to me and watching him rise up to reach for his pants.

He pulled a rag out of one the pockets and cleaned off before handing it to me. I eyed the rag and raised a brow, “You'd expect this to happen,”

He laughed, “Not even slightly,” he turned his eyes as I cleaned myself up and pulled my panties and pants back up, “I always keep an extra rag just incase I need to use one for the bike,”

I nodded, “Makes sense,”

When, he could see I was done he opened up his arms to indicate I should come hither. I obliged and let him wrap me in his arm with my head resting in the slope of his shoulder. We sat there for several minutes looking up at the sky just holding each other until Norman spoke quietly, “So,”

I made a humming noise. He pressed his lips into my hair and sighed, “Will you move in with me,”


	6. Chapter 6

_**Sunnie ran her hand along Norman’s couch and hummed as her eyes begun to drop from how tired she was. Norman’s place was about fifteen minutes from set and it was a pretty house that was set off from the rest of the world and God she was fucking tired.** _

_**“Thank you,” She whispered.** _

_**Norman moved from the door and motioned towards the hallway, “I have a spare room you can sleep in,” His hand fell on the small of her back and her body responded to the touch, she leaned into hand and felt his arm come to move around her body until his hand rested on her waist. His fingertips found the hem of her shirt, and he rubbed her smooth skin sending goosebumps across her body.** _

_**“Let me show ya where it is,” He lead her by the waist towards the hallway and it took everything in her not to stumble and land on her face. He maneuvered them down the hallway until he stopped in front of the first door on the left and opened it for her, “The bed is all made up. What time are you due on set tomorrow?”** _

_**Sunnie hummed again, “Really fuckin’ early,”** _

_**Norman snorted a laugh, “Sleep as much as you want and let me know when you need to be on set and I’ll give you a ride back,”** _

_**She nodded and felt her body began to turn off as she looked over the bed and saw the crisp covers and envisioned herself being swallowed by their softness, “Goodnight, Sunshine,” Norman whispered** _

_**. She turned to look at him and smiled, “Good night, Normie,” That earned a laugh and Norman’s hand moved up to touch her face as he smiled down at her but something changed in his eyes, and he took a step back.** _

_**“Sleep well,” Sunnie tried to ignore the pang of worry that stabbed through her and focused on the sleep that was slowly dragging her down as she closed the door, climbed out of her pants and curled herself up in the soft blankets and the faintest hint of original musk.** _

 

The movers were loud and obnoxious, but they got the job done quickly and I only had to look over their progress for about an hour before I promised Norman I’d call him to come join me.

He seemed to take the answer I gave him very well but it took some time and patience for him to come to terms with it completely.

_“Yes,” I looked up at him with a small smile._

_Norman sighed, “Good,” I looked into those gorgeous blue eyes and thought about waking up next to him every morning, about seeing him when I go to bed and just walking in when I came back from week-long trips, I thought about us being a real couple and doing real couple things. I imagined him being there over my shoulder as I wrote, him sipping coffee against the door frame when I had stayed up to late trying to develop my film during the night because they always spoke to me better at three am than they did at three pm. I could hear him calling me and asking if I was in bed because he would be in New York this weekend, or we’d both be in Georgia for filming._

_I saw us._

_I saw it all and it was fucking terrifying because for nearly ten years I had built my life up around myself instead of around someone else and suddenly I was about to give up that freedom of movement._

_“But,”_

_Norman’s arms tightened “-but what?” His voice was small and I could feel his nerves riling for high gear._

_“-but, I want to move my couch and everything into my loft and use it as my New York office. I can keep all my work there and if I needed to meet clients for photo shoots I’d have my own space to do it and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than renting out a building.”_

_I felt Norman's head nod against my own, “Yeah, yeah okay that works,”_

My stomach was still turning in knots knowing that although my large furniture will be here my clothing and other miscellaneous items will be at his place. That my life will be split in half but for good reasons, at least, I hoped the reasons were good.

One of the movers, His shirt had Chet written across the breast, stepped in front of me when a stack of chairs in his hands, “Miss,” His eyes looked me up and down and I tried not to squirm beneath his sight. When guys did that I wanted to step away from them because I knew what was going through their heads.

Norman had never looked me up and down the way this guys did. If his eyes scanned me it seemed like he was taking me in to remember I was real, not to remember me for his spank bank later.

“Over there,” I pointed towards the dining area and Chet smirked before heading off in that direction.

Shaking my head i pulled out my phone and dialed Norman who answered on the third ring, “Sunshine,” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“You going to come over?” There was silence for a moment than a soft “Mew” and I grinned knowing Eye in the Dark was probably cuddling against him right now,

“Yeah, I'm about to get ready now. Oh, Steven and Lauren are in town and asked if you were here. I told her we could all meet up for drinks. Jeffrey and Paul may join us as well,”

I bit my lip but nodded, “Totally, just get here soon and stop cuddling the cat,” He scoffed but laughed and said goodbye before hanging up the phone.

Turning around I noticed Chet looking at me as he walked back towards the doorway. He stopped just short of me and smiled before winking and walking out of the door. My skin crawled at the thought of what that wink meant. I bit the inside of my lip and walked through the loft towards the master bedroom, my blankets still thrown haphazardly across it last night and Norman’s boxers still looked at the floor. Leaning down to pick them up I heard someone whistle and my stomach tightened.

Lifting back up I noticed Chet peering in with a smirk on face, “Anything you want in here?” He leered.

I shook my head, “No, everything goes out there. Thank you,” He didn't move away from the door and instead looked me over again,

“Y’know I think I've seen you somewhere before,”

YEAH in my loft where you're being a creep.

I kept my mouth shut and tidied up my bed hoping he would just walk away but he didn't.

“Yeah, you some kind of photographer lady, your face is all over the shit my girl reads,” This guy has a girlfriend? Poor girl.

“She must be a very nice person,” I smiled at him. He lifted his lip, “She's gotta nice rack, but she's really into this magazine called Popular Photography. All she does is look at pictures all day,” My hand flew to my back pocket where I knew my work I. D was. Popular Photography was one of my releasers.

“I hope she enjoys the magazines, they have books released as well,” Chet opened his mouth to say something more but a sharp knock interrupted him, and we both moved at once. I headed towards the door but Chet moved into the bedroom and somehow we ended up chest to chest with a smirk pulling his lips.

I tried to moved back but Chet’s hands were on my waist keeping me from stepping back without a struggle. His smirk stayed in place as I tried to push his hands off me, desperately wanting to step away from him before panic begun to crawl its way into my chest. His eyes were dark, and they kept staring at me with that fucking smirking tugging his lips and I couldn't get his hands of me.

“Stop,” I stated.

Chet’s fingers squeezed my waist tighter and something in his eyes made my heart race with fear. I didn't know this guy and the only other movers were outside, I didn't know how to get out of this.

“STOP,” I yelled and pushed against his chest as hard as I could. Chet stumbled back a step, raising his hands up with a laughing smile tugging his lips.

“Okay, sugar,” there was another knock that pulled both our attentions towards the door.

“Sunshine,” Norman’s voice echoed through my loft. I glanced through the doorway and saw him walking through the living room before looking back at Chet whose smirk was gone and a frown was pulling his lips.

Walking out of the room I met Norman halfway and wrapped my arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He caught my waist and held me tight against him, a laugh dusting my neck sending shivers down my spine.

“Hello to you too,” He pulled back and looked past my shoulder, His smile dropping. I turned my head and followed his gaze to see Chet leaving my bedroom his eyes just barely looking over us before he stepped out of my loft, slamming the door behind him.

Norman eyed me wearily, “Pissing the movers off already, babe,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy! I won't be posting any more for a few days as I have some family things that will be taking up a majority of my time. 
> 
> I love all of your feed back so so so much!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

_**Sunshine’s head was spinning and something didn't feel quite right. Why was she awake? Where was she? How did she get here? There was a strange buzzing somewhere to her right, and she nearly fell off the bed trying to get to it. Her phone was going crazy, guilt and panic slamming into her chest that she was late and had overslept but it wasn't her alarm going off. It was Greg calling at seven in the morning, why?** _

_**“Greg,” She sighed.** _

_**“Hey Sunnie, I saw your car on set but didn't see you around,” Sunnie groaned and looked at the surrounding room. Pieces of the night before slipped into space, and she remembered Norman offering her a place to sleep. She remembered dozing off in his car and the way his hand felt on the small of her back as he led her to the room.** _

_**She remembered dreaming that he had crawled into the bed and wrapped his arms around her silently.** _

_**“Yeah, I got a ride. I was pretty tired and couldn't drive, is everything okay what's wrong?” There was a sudden boom of thunder that echoed through the phone causing Sunnie to nearly pee herself.** _

_**“I was trying to get in touch with everyone to let them know that set calls were canceled until this storm passes. Half our filming is location today,” Sunnie was nodding but realized that Greg couldn't see her.** _

_**“Cool, uh, thanks,” Suddenly the bed wasn't as comfortable anymore, the room was a little too cold and the storm outside sounded louder with each second that ticked by.** _

_**“I'll let everyone know if we have to cancel today all together. Get some sleep,” She thanked him and hung up looking around the room trying to remember why she thought coming here was a good idea. Her stomach was tightening with each passing moment and fear lodged itself inside her chest, especially when she heard a phone in the distance ringing and a gruff hello breaking through the walls. She was in Norman’s house, she was sleeping in his guest bed and her pants were on the floor.** _

_**Moving as slowly as possible, Sunnie reached down to grab the jeans and pulled them on as quickly as could. Cursing once she saw the dried fake blood covering her arms, and she was sure Norman’s sheets, but she wasn't about to check that. Making sure her purse was in the room she dialed for a cab, waiting impatiently for the tone to pick up. Up. Up.** _

_**Voicemail.** _

_**Panic was rising in her chest, spinning the world around her until the room shifted out from under her feet, and she couldn't breathe. Pressing her nails into the palms of her hands she tried to calm down but her heart rate kept increasing and the walls kept closing in on her. She caused this mess. She couldn't escape this room, this house; him.** _

_**Norman heard the hard thump beyond Greg’s voice, but he couldn't determine where the noise was coming from but after another smaller thump followed he knew it was from the guest room.** _

_**Sunnie.** _

_**“Yeah, cool thanks man,” he hung up the phone before Greg could respond and rushed to the room throwing open the door to see Sunnie balled up in the fetal position. Her hands were fisted against her ears, face red from the tears streaming down her cheeks.** _

_**“Sunshine,” Norman knelt down beside her touching the side of her face, but she flinched away. Eyes shooting open, and he saw the feral panic pooling inside of them; the fear embedded in the pupils that stared at him in terror. He recognized this from the few fans that couldn't handle meeting him, but he wasn't sure how to handle Sunnie.** _

_**He went on instinct. “Come on, it's okay, breathe for me please,” Sunnie’s eyes caught his and followed his lips as they moved. Her shaking slowing down as he watched her breathe in and out with me,” Her chest rose and fell steadily, the panic leaving her eyes as they counted breaths and the tension eased out of her shoulders.** _

_**“That's my girl,” he pulled her go rest against his chest when Sunnie’s eyes returned to normal.** _

 

“How do you want to do this,” Norman shoved a bunch of black t shirts aside, my eyes catching numerous images of Daryl printed on the fabric. His closet was huge, nearly a small room itself, but we were both still afraid I had too much clothing.

 “Well, we could just not do anything at all,”

My eyes turned to the pile of clothing on the bed that I wasn't sure how I managed to accumulate. I traveled constantly, so I didn't have a permanent closet except for at my apartment in Georgia but looking over my horde of fabric my packing ventures started to make sense. I almost never packed the same outfit in a row and I rarely had to do laundry. I was living a traveling dream but now I was stuck in reality and reality meant I had to sort through years of clothing. Years and years and years and years.

“As much as that options sounds wonderful we need to get this done,” Norman flicked his wrist towards the pile before smiling back at me, “Unless you wanna get rid of everything and become a naturalist,” he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Norman,” I laughed smacking his arms before making my way towards the pile.

“So, that's a no?” His hands found my hips and I relaxed into his touch.

“More of a “I don't want to blind my friends” I like to keep it all a surprise for when the lights accidentally get left on,” Norman chuckled against my hair and ran hands up my side to cup my breasts. He kissed the side of my neck sending chills through my body as his right hand trailed back down to play at the hem of my shirt.

“Don't-” He kissed me again before turning me around, “-ever-” he pushed me back into the bed until my legs hit the edge and I stumbled back onto the mattress, “-say stuff-” he crawled on top of me and captured my lips with his our tongues danced together as his hands traveled my body memorizing every detail, every curve, “-like that again,” he finished by kissing me so passionately I swear I transcended into the third dimension before he pulled off and smirked down at me.

“Woah,” I breathed.

“You're fucking gorgeous, Sunshine,” he commented before helping me off the bed but honestly I don't know if I could stand.

“My knees feel a little weak,” he laughed.

We set to work on the pile of clothes, organizing my dresses and t shirts so they fit on one side of the closet and folded my jeans into the stray dresser on the other side. I stared at what was left, sighing through my frustration before starting all over again. It took a good while, I had to make a pile of clothes to donate and clothes that just needed to be put out their misery and the rest was stowed away in the closet until it all looked homely and pieced together. Norman had attempted to color coordinate the clothing but after realizing half my outfits were red or black, and he gave up and just sifted them all together.

This was the first step.

My clothes were put away and Norman had shuffled my plates into his china cabinet. When he wasn't in the room I threw away the old shampoo bottles I had left and replaced them with my new ones. When I stepped back from the bathroom or the bedroom I felt my presence seeping into the walls.

I was here.

“Mingus will be here tomorrow, but I have to take him to school in the morning, so we gotta kick it early tonight after drinks,” he announced from the living room where he had plopped down on the couch.

I stood off to the other side of the room and crossed my arms, “He knows you asked me right?”

Norman nodded, “I ran it by him before I even knew if I wanted it myself. Kid got fucking excited that you'd finally be living here you'd think he likes you,” he smirked up at me and I flipped him the bird.

Settling down next to him on the couch I tried to relax against his side but something kept nagging in the back of my head. A worry that slithered its way into my mind to gnaw on my nerves setting fire to my calm.

We were living together now, it was us and this place when we weren't working. Maybe even his Georgia house when I was on location with the show but-but were we an actual item? He had asked me to move in with him, but he didn't quite ask me to his girlfriend. What would happen if we did make it officially official? Marriage? We hadn't ever spoken about it before but I didn't want that step in life and I hoped Norman didn't either. Definitely not kids, Norman had already passively expressed he was happy Mingus was growing into a man now. So what was next?

Would we just live peacefully together in ignorant bliss never letting the worries of life or the past settle between us? Could we do that? I looked up at Norman sitting quietly next to me with South Park playing on the flat screen. He was a simple guy, it didn't take much to keep him happy, and he didn’t anger quickly; anymore. I had my own complications but I’d spent years learning to shoulder them so that they didn't hinder my life. If anything my shadows grew into the woman I was today, the scars still showed if I let myself fall into the dark place amongst the anxiety than I could barely escape them but maybe this was what was meant to happen. Norman and I were meant to grow up before growing toward each other; maybe this would be good for me.

“Your phone is going off,” Norman murmured and I came back to reality to feel it buzzing against my butt.

“Sorry,” he shrugged as I lifted off the couch and checked the I.D.

**Emmers**.

Shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really needed a distraction from my Dad's surgery so (since my beta slipped out on me) I took a crack at editing. 
> 
> I'm sorry if my grammar is terrible, I write how I think and sometimes my head gets well...ahead of myself. 
> 
> Please enjoy!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**_“Can we talk about it,” Sunnie nearly peed herself when a voice sounded behind her. Turning her head she saw Norman standing next to her, way to close for comfort. She had hoped, with literally everything inside of her, that Norman would act like yesterday hadn't happened, and they could move on. Nope._ **

**_Sunnie turned to smile at him, “About the photos? No, because they're a surprise for the end of the episode,”_ **

**_Norman’s eyebrows bunched together and it took all of Sunnie’s will power not to blush at how fucking cute it made him look, “You know that's not what I meant,”_ **

**_She sighed, “Norman, I-”_ **

**_She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, her shoulders filling with tension the longer he stood there staring at her. She couldn't do this-this explanation of actions. She would rather just file it away and pray no one ever brought it up again, but Norman was an expresser who wanted to get it all out in the open._ **

**_It made Sunnie's stomach tighten._ **

**_“Look,” he grabbed her left hand and held her fingers carefully, “We don't have to talk right now, m’kay, but you're my friend and yesterday morning scared, me so I want to talk about it,” he brought her hand up between them, lacing their fingers together and sending shivers down her arm, “You can come over tonight and will watch bad movies while eating pizza until words start coming out, okay?”_ **

**_Sunnie sighed even deeper; why did he have to be such a great fucking guy? Why did he have to have eyes that made her stomach melt? Why did she have to have this feeling of adoration bubbling inside her chest_ **

**_. Looking at him carefully she resigned herself to telling him the truth; telling him that she couldn't do this because she was a desperate Fangirl who might be halfway in love with the guy already._ **

**_She had to say no._ **

**_“Okay, Norman,” Dammit she was weak._ **

 

 

Staring at my phone I felt my world slip away until the room was spinning as I lifted it to my ear. “Hello,” I choked.

“Sunnie, hey sis,” Emmer’s voice was deeper than the last time I heard him speak, then, the last time we had spoken he was about fourteen years old. Time changed things-and people.

I rubbed the back of my neck, walking towards the kitchen slowly, “Yeah, hey Em. Um, what's up?”

A cold dread spread up my back tickling my skin with shadows fingers. Emmers might be my baby brother, but he was a part of the life I lived before, of the world I left behind. A few birthday cards, and some money for his education, when asked, was the only contact I had kept with my youngest sibling. Honestly I had no idea where my oldest three were hiding in this great big world.

Emmers cleared his throat, “Well, I wanted to see how you were? Haven't talked in a while, sister,”

I stayed quiet as I heard someone come up behind me, turning around I attempted to smile at Norman ignoring the nerves in my stomach. He stepped towards me, his hands catching my waist and pulling me towards his body, “You okay,” he whispered.

I nodded, “Is there something in particular I could help you with,” I tried not to so sound mechanical but I couldn't help the forced calm that was swept over my person.

Norman’s eyebrows bunched together as Emmers answered me back, “Actually, I-well- I'm going to be a dad,” my mouth fell open in shock.

What?

Just What?

“I, wow, that's awesome,” Was it though? Emmers would be twenty-two years old, he should be finishing college not having a baby. Wait? “Did you ever finish school?” Norman stepped back from me, moving towards the fridge and opening it up only to stand before it motionless

“I finished last fall-I would have sent you an invitation but I didn't know your address,” A dark sound played in Emmers words that made me want to throw up.

“Congratulations, but, hey-I have to go,” Clearing my throat I pulled the phone away from my ear and barely heard Emmer muttered a “ _Wait there's something else_ ,” before I hung up the line and with a shaking hand slipped my phone back into my pocket. Norman turned away from the fridge, arms folded and raised an eyebrow at me.

“Do we need to talk about it,” Straight and to the point, that's Norman.

I shook my head, “Naw, I'm good,”

Norman stepped towards me carefully, his eyes looking down at my hands before catching my gaze, “Obviously you’re not,” he grabbed my wrists and held them.

The shaking stopped long enough for me to feel an overwhelming sense of panic that washed over my person. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes, I stumbled back away from Norman, but he didn't let go of my hands. Without knowing what was happening I was pulled into his arms as I bawled into his chest.

I wasn't even sure why I was crying, or why I was allowing these emotions to rip through and tear me apart so quickly. Emmers, my little brother whom I used to be so close with, was going to be a father and I couldn't even stay on the phone with him for longer than three minutes. Norman, who made my world a better place, was here and holding me but what will he think when I tell him it was my brother on the phone.

A brother he had never heard of.

No-one knew of my siblings, though, no-one knew of my family. It sometimes hurt to be so separated from them but I made my choice nine years ago to leave, I made the choice to separate who I am from who I was. The consequences of those actions were that I lost my family; my entire family.

That's my life though; a never ending sequences of choices made up of consequences.

“Hey,” Norman spoke up once my crying had eased. I couldn't look up at him, I couldn't look into his eyes and pretend that this was about nothing. Norman didn't give me a choice; he lifted my chin so that our eyes connected and I saw every ounce of adoration, worry, fear and love he held for me poured into those blue orbs.

How can I say this?

“What happened?” He asked so carefully his words nearly hurt my skin.

Sighing I dropped my gaze before feeling my phone going off in my hand. Looking down I couldn't help but smile seeing Steven’s name pop up on my screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of y'all are willing betas my life will be in your hands >. <


	9. Chapter 9

_**Sunnie sat off to the side watching the actors film her camera was rested against her chest instead of up to her face. She wanted to experience this episode first hand, not through a lens.** _

_**The group made it to the CDC, watching the actors portray the amount of relief and fear was awe-inspiring. They were an episode away from the finale and everyone was taking it hard that they hadn't been renewed yet, but the faith was still there. As was the nervousness Sunnie felt knowing that tonight she would be going to Norman’s after filming. She wasn't sure what to prepare for. Did she bring extra clothes in case it became a late night? Did she just show up with whiskey and a can do attitude? Should she not show up at all?** _

_**No, she'd show up. Norman would make sure of that.** _

_**“Sunnie,” A drawling British accent pulled her out of her head and she realized they had called cut. Looking up she saw Andrew smiling at her, his hair swept back with sweat and dirt but that didn't lessen the brightness in his eyes. “Hey, Andy,” She smiled back, fingering her camera.** _

_**“We're all wanting to go out for drinks tonight you, my dear, should join us,”** _

_**Oh- Sunnie's eyes fell past Andrew’s shoulder to see Norman eyeing them curiously. She smiled at Andrew, “I might,”** _

_**Andrew grinned even wider, “Awesome, it's a restaurant called Midnights. It's small but their food is incredible and the drinks are even better. You can ride with Norman, I know he said you two were going to be hanging out tonight,” there was a hint of amusement behind Andy’s words that caused Sunnie’s eyebrows to rise.** _

_**Before she could respond Norman walked up to them and clapped Andrew on the shoulder, “Hey guys,”** _

_**Andrew looked down at him before indicating to her, “She says she's in. So, you have to go to, mate,”** _

_**Sunnie balked, “Dude, I said maybe!”** _

_**“Which is basically a yes,”** _

_**“Oh my God, don't accent your way into my answer,” She said it jokingly but real annoyance pricked at her chest. She hadn't said yes and Andy had no right to tell anyone that she had. It was her choice; not his.** _

_**Andrew laughed, “I'll accent my way into my trailer so you two can go and get ready,”** _

_**He patted Norman on the shoulder before winking at Sunnie and leaving the pair to stand there awkwardly next to each other _,_ “I said maybe," Sunnie muttered defensively. ** _

_**Norman shrugged, “I've come to learn that's how Andy is. We'll get used to it eventually,”** _

 

The cab ride to Cicero's was the world's most awkward ride in all of history, okay, maybe that was an exaggeration but I sure as hell felt like it was.

_Norman wasn't happy when I answered the phone call, “Stevie,”_

_“Hello, buttercup,” I smiled softly trying my best to avoid the annoyance rearing in Norman’s eyes._

_“How can I help you today?” I tried to stay calm, keep my cool and smile at Norman so that he could see I was okay._

_“Well, Lauren is the last one besides you two who is getting ready than we were all heading out to Cicero’s,” there was a pause, “You're still coming right? We know it's kind of early but y'know know adult life and such,”_

_Norman’s eyebrows bunched together but he nodded, “Yeah, we promised we'd go,” he mumbled._

_I confirmed with Steven that we'd be there before saying goodbye and looking into Norman’s eyes but he lifted up. Leaving me sitting on the floor alone as he marched into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him._

He held my hand which counted for something but he hadn't spoken a word to me since telling me I looked beautiful.

When the cab pulled up outside the restaurant he opened my door for me, slipping his hand to rest at the small of my back as he guided us into the building. It was dimly lit with wavering music filling in the gaps of conversation. A hostess smiled at us, her eyes bugging out when she noticed Norman but she kept a professional tone when she asked if we had a reservation.

“Yeun,” I spoke. She looked down at the seating chart, nodded and led us to a table towards the back of the room where Steven spotted me before anyone else.

“Buttercup,” He jumped to his feet to greet us properly. Clapping hands with Norman who gave a gruff ‘ _Hey man_ ’ before hugging me and indicating we should sit.

I sat on the left side of Norman, Lauren situated between Steven and myself. She grinned at me and pulled me into a hug, “Gosh, it's awesome to see you,” pulling back from each other she kept the smile in place but her eyes scanned over Norman who was speaking quietly to Jeffery.

“Is he okay?” Steven leaned towards us.

“Yeah, Sunnie, did y'all have a fight?”

I kept a careful smile on my face as I shook my head. “No, things are just tense right now seeing as we've been moving my stuff in all day,” That grabbed their attention and shifted the conversation towards us moving in together and me living full time in New York. Along the way, the waiter stopped by to take our orders and I tried to ignore that Norman barely grunted his bourbon order at him before turning to me.

“Rum and coke and just a salad please,” The young man nodded at me before walking off.

I looked at Norman carefully prepared to ask him if he wanted to talk but Paul leaned forward, “Sunnie, do you remember the photo you took of Chris and I on set?” I looked at my friend and nodded.

“The one where you were trying to have a muscle comparison?”

Paul beamed, “Hell Yeah! Some kid drew out a version of that photo,” he pulled out his phone and scrolled through it until he landed on the image, “Made entirely out of the script of _Civil War,_ ”

“Fuck, “ I grabbed his phone and stared in awe at the fan art based off my photo. Norman and Lauren leaned towards me and gaped at the image. Somehow the air shifted around the group and the ice had broken enough for all of us to launch into a conversation about the different types of fan art we've seen or received.

The drinks and food arrived only to disappear a moment later to be replaced by another round of drinks that came steadier and steadier as the night went on. By ten o'clock Norman was leaning against my side as I discussed with Steven about his latest interview covering his character's death. It felt incredible to be able to talk to one of my best friends with the possible love of my life leaning against my side. The steady buzz filtering through my brain definitely helped bring me out of my own shell.

When eleven started approaching Steven yawned, pulling out his phone to call us all cabs, “I missed you,” he spoke carefully as we all rose from the table.

I wrapped him in a hug, “I miss you too, Stevie,” He laughed and kissed the side of my head before letting Lauren take his place in a goodbye hug.

Jeffrey was next wrapping his long arm over my shoulder and pulling me into his side, “I'm not gonna sugar coat out, honey, Norman is hurt by something that happened between you two,” this was one of the first real things Jeffrey had said to me tonight. I looked up at him and tried to pretend like he didn't scare me. That the curling smile he had on his face didn't bring up memories I wished to forget but I knew Jeffrey. He was one of Norman’s best friends, while I was more comfortable around Andy, or even Sean, I knew that Norman trusted him.

I nodded, “Yeah,” he tightened his hold before letting me stumbled into Norman’s side.

“Night Man,” Jeffrey nodded towards him before Norman moved us outside, lighting a cigarette the moment we hit fresh air.

I could feel the alcohol swirling through my veins, pushing me around on autopilot. We stood outside of the restaurant, Norman’s hand on my hip and my skin chilling from the night air. I looked up at him, taking in his soft lips, scruffy face and beautiful blue eyes. He honestly was the single most gorgeous thing ever to come across my life. Somehow amongst all the bullshit in my life, my paths were crossed with this incredible being who looked at me as if the sun rose because I woke up. He has never made me feel unwanted or unloved no matter how little I returned to him and through all our years together he made me feel like I was an integral part of his life.

He had become my everything without me even realizing it.

“Norman,” He puffed on his cigarette, seemingly ignoring me.

“Norm,” I whispered into his chest and felt him respond above me.

“Sunnie,” Oh, I'm not his sunshine when we're bathed in darkness. “I think I love you,” I know I love you but how I can spell this out in words that swirled around my head. I couldn't pull my bearings down enough for me to focus past the buzz and the warmth of his chest.

He hummed in his chest, “Do ya?”

I nodded, “With all the stars in the sky,” He laughed at that, tossing his cigarette off to the side so that he could lift my face to his. Leaning down he pressed his lips against mine so carefully that my body nearly melted at his feet. I kissed him back pouring everything into my lips, into this connection humming with energy between us. I wrapped my arms around his neck, gripping the back of his hair and pressing my body against his even tighter.

Norman moaned lowly opening my mouth with his tongue and explored me. I knew we were too out in the open for the much affection but it was dark and the heat tendrils burning through my body wanted nothing more than to take him here and now. Open up this shell I'm cracking and become a new person, become truly his.

The bubble we had created burst when someone yelled an obscenity off to the right of us and Norman pulled back from me. Turning his head enough to see that someone with their phone up was making lude hand gestures towards us. He flipped them off, making sure to pull his sunglasses down to cover his face and it seemed like a stroke of luck that our cab pulled up that very moment.

 

Once we were back at the house the buzz had begun to fade and Norman’s awkwardness had returned. We changed and prepared for bed quicker than usual, Norman burrowing beneath the covers before I had even left the bathroom. I walked up to the edge of the bed and sat down feeling the room spun around me as my momentary bliss came crashing down.

I had told him I loved him, well, I had told him I think I loved him and he hasn't said anything back. That was expected. We were drunk after all and he had just found out something about me that he should have known nearly eight years ago. Maybe he didn't love me, he had just said that he thinks he was falling for me but I might have burned that bridge. Crumpled it to the ground so that it washed away in the raging waters below.

“Sunnie,” He said quietly.

I lifted my head and turned towards him, I could barely make out his face but I saw the shine of his eyes staring up at me, “Norman,”

“I want to know you,” he lifted up in the bed so that he sat next to me and our shoulder brushed each other, “I want to know things about you but I can't know anything if you shove it all down as if it doesn't exist,” dread dropped like a weight in my stomach.

“I-” He looked me in the eyes.

“I love you, Sunnie, I love you and I want to make this work but to make it work you've gotta tell me things,” His voice dropped down to a whisper, “I know we've always had issues talking about stuff like this but I didn't want you living with me for no reason. Sunshine, I fucking love you,” Tears spilled over and down my cheeks causing me to heave my next breathe out. He loved me, he actually loved me and I was tearing everything down with my own fucked up fears. If he knew my past, if he knew everything then he would be looking at me the way he was. He would be wrapping his arms around me so I pulled tight against him and he wouldn't give a damn about me as a person.

If he knew me he wouldn't want me.

“I don't know how to tell you, Norman,”

His lips brushed my temple as he sighed. “We'll figure it out,”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse the lateness, I was never planning on posting so much and now I'm going through some family issues. Please enjoy and comment your love lol


	10. Chapter 10

**_Sunnie arrived to pick Norman up an hour after leaving set but it took him ten extra minutes just to leave his house and get into the car. When he was seated in the passenger seat he greeted her with a smirk and head nod. Sunnie tried to pretend that the sunglasses weren't intimidating to her._ **

**_She couldn't see past her own reflection and it fucked with her head._ **

**_“Thanks,” Norman smiled a few minutes later into the drive to Midnight’s._ **

**_Sunnie shrugged, “You let me stay at your place when I needed sleep. Least I could do is carpool with you so you can get drunk off your ass,”_ **

**_Norman laughed, “We should have gotten a cab there,” He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and motioned to Sunnie who nodded while rolling down the window. He lit up in silence both of them fallen into the comfortable quiet around them._ **

**_She tried to ignore the musk coming off of the man next to her and every time he moved she attempted not to stare at him. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she could barely breath but it was pure nervous energy. She felt it coursing through her the moment Norman walked out of his place in a button up black shirt, black jeans and a pair of boots to match. He looked like he actually combed his hair and his sunglasses rested on his face easily, but they just made it worse._ **

**_He was so fucking gorgeous._ **

**_“Do you normally have panic attacks?” She jumped at the sound of his voice._ **

**_She peered at him out of the corner of her eye and could see him watching her, “Sort of,” Everything in her screamed for him to just drop the situation._ **

**_He nodded, “What caused it?”_ **

**_“Personal questions here, Norman,”_ **

**_Norman smiled softly, “Just trying to gather what happened and why,” he tosses the cigarette and rolled the window back up, “Not everyday I let a beautiful woman sleep in my home, and she goes catatonic on me,”_ **

**_Sunnie snorted, “You have that affect on people.”_ **

**_Norman didn't say anything back. When they had reached the restaurant she could see Steven standing outside with Andrew and Jon. They were laughing at something but the laughter stopped and turned into greetings. Andrew eyed them with a smirk on his face as he took Sunnie into a hug and clapped hands with Norman. Jon grinned at both of them but kept his greetings to quick hellos._ **

**_Steven was the exact opposite. “Sunnie, my God, you look incredible,” His voice was pitched and when he leaned towards her; she could smell the alcohol. Worry laced her stomach, but she kept a smile on her face even after he hugged her a little too tightly._ **

**_He grinned up at Norman, “Man, you got to ride in the car with her? How'd you keep your hands to yourself,” laughter cut through his sentence and Norman’s smile tightened slightly._ **

**_“You even old enough to drink?” It was meant as a joke but the look Norman was giving him was unmistakable._ **

**_Steven rolled his head but kept smiling, “Maybe,”_ **

**_Andrew patted him on the back, “Come on, table is waiting,” the Brit led the group into the restaurant where the rest of the Cast and a few crew members were all situated in a corner of the restaurant._ ** **_Sunnie noticed a makeup artist she had worked with a few weeks ago waving her over to two empty seats. She made her way to the chair, pausing when she noticed Norman following her_ ** **_._ **

**_She didn't say anything just sat down next to Karen who started asking her how the Day-On-Set photos were turning out. Within minutes Sunnie had forgotten Norman was seated besides her and had fallen into talk with the cast and crew. Steven leaned across the table a few times to strike up a conversation with her. He was funny and made her feel like he actually wanted to discuss the different camera brands and how long it took for her to buy her first one. It made her feel even more like a part of the team, and she knew she would want to return; if they would have her._ **

**_“Buttercup,” Steven yelled across at her when she had fallen into a conversation with Karen. She rolled her eyes at the newly adopted nickname but gave him her attention._ **

**_“Come help me grab the last round before we call it a night,” She nodded turning in her seat to lift up when she caught eyes with Norman. He watched Steven as he came close to her, his whiskey tumbler against his lips. If Sunnie didn't know any better she’d say he was eyeing them but Norman was friends with them._ **

**_This is what normal friends do._ **

**_“Y'all came together?” Steven spoke quietly as they made their way to the other side of the restaurant._ **

**_Sunnie looked back at Norman who had his sunglasses pulled back down on his face, “Yeah, we were going to hang out, so we figured carpooling would be smart,”_ **

**_Steven nodded, “I think he likes you,”_ **

**_She scoffed, “No way, like, did he say that?” She pitched her voice and laughed when Steven flipped her the bird._ **

**_“Shut up and help me carry these,” they both lifted the trays of shots and carefully maneuvered them back to the table. Sunnie helped pass them around and it took her a moment to realize Norman wasn't at the table. She eyed his seat wearily when Andy pointed towards the bathrooms with a smirk. She nodded, sitting back down only to be tapped on the shoulder a few minutes later by a very drunk Norman._ **

**_“Yeah?” He motioned for her to follow him._ **

**_She did so cautiously making to sure to let Steven know she was leaving before they disappeared Norman led them out of the building, and towards her car where he leaned against it._ **

**_“Can you take me home,” he mumbled._ **

**_Sunnie nodded, “Yeah, of course. Are you okay?”_ **

**_She tugged her keys out of her purse, but Norman grabbed her wrist before she could unlock the car._ **

**_He leaned towards her carefully, “I want to kiss you,” She flinched when the whiskey hit her nose. Moving back from him she tried to pull her wrist away but even drunk Norman was stronger than her._ **

**_“You’re drunk,”_ **

**_He dropped her wrist, “I've wanted to kiss you since the walker horde scene,” He stared at her, but all she saw was her own worried reflection looking back, “I think I've wanted to kiss you since I first saw you but I knew that moment when I watched you going hard for a shot that I NEEDED to kiss you,” His lips brushed across her cheek sending chills down her spine. Norman's hand found her waist, pulling her close to him until their chest were flushed together. She could feel his heart beating; she could feel everything._ **

**_“Can I kiss you?” His lips moved against her cheek, and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why she wasn't letting him. He was warm, strong and smelled so damn good. All she had to do was turn her head a little to the right, and they'd be kissing._ **

**_She'd be kissing Norman._ **

**_It felt like cold water had splashed over her person at the thought of them kissing; of her letting him hold her close and open her lips with his because she wouldn't stop it at a kiss. She would let it become so much more, and she couldn't do that no matter how badly her chest was screaming at her to._ **

**_“Let's get you home,” She pulled away ignoring the shocked look that painted Norman's face and climbed into the car._ **

 

I groaned when Norman's alarm went off; loudly.

“Dude,” Rolling over I poked him until he opened his eyes to look at me. He stared back at me for a few seconds before he grumbled under his breath, rolled over and shut off the alarm. Throwing back his head he made a gesture that meant come here but I stayed put.

“Sunshine,” He shifted his gaze back to me.

I raised a brow, “You'll get comfortable and you need go bring your son to school,” again he grumbled but I managed to make out _getting him a car_ and _fucking education_ before he pulled himself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. Pulling the blankets up to my chin I snuggled further down into the sheets before hearing the door click open and saw Norman poke his head out.

He had his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth, “Nuh uh, up,”

“What?” He stepped back into the bathroom, I heard the water run then he came back out with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re coming with me,” I glared. He couldn't be serious? It was six in the morning and if he hadn't forgotten I was not a fucking morning person. Looking at him I pointed to the blanket, flipped over and huddled further into the warmth.

Protest at its finest.

Only it would have been if a few moments later the blanket hadn't been ripped away from my person leaving me shuddering against the cold air. I hissed at him, flipping him the bird before attempting to reach for the blanket that he tugged out of my reach.

“Bitch,” I cursed.

Norman smirked, “Mingus wants to see you and it would just break his heart if I showed up without you,” He blinked at me slowly.

Mother fucker was using his kid to guilt me into going? “Low blow, Reedus, low fucking blow.” He was so lucky I adored his damn son.

 

We stopped at a donut shop, my arms defiantly wrapped around myself as Norman ordered a coffee, a white hot chocolate and three glazed donuts. Despite the sleepiness burning my eyes and the incessant anger at him for waking me up; I smiled knowing he remembered my favorite hot drink.

I sipped it gingerly as we drove to Helena’s place to pick up his son. I saw his blonde out poking out of a dark jackets when Norman pulled up to a house I didn't recognize. I turned in my seat hoping to give him a smile as he opened the door.

Mingus grinned brighter than the damn sun when he climbed into the car, “Sunnie, didn't expect to see you this early,” I glared at his father before smiling back at him again and handing over the donut we'd bought for him.

He took a bite, “Did Dad tell you we're working on getting me a car,” I looked at him carefully.

“Working? Mr. Reedus do you mean to tell me you aren't using your fortune to buy your kid a Mercedes, Cadillac, a Rolls Royce perhaps?”

Mingus laughed but I received a very rude middle finger from his father, “I'm trying to teach him life lessons. He gets good grades for six months straight then I help him buy one but if he slips he has to work for the money himself,”

I turned back to Mingus, “Thankfully you inherited your brains from your Mom,”

Norman protested as Mingus burst into laughter and finished his donut with a grin. We stayed quiet the rest of the way and when Norman pulled up to the private school he stopped Mingus at the door, “Call me when you get out,”

Mingus rolled his eyes, “Yeah, I know Dad,” he waved at me, “See you later Sunnie,”

“See ya kiddo,” I hollered as Norman drove away and watched Mingus throw his head back in a laugh. Waking up this early was not my idea of a good time, but I had missed the kid more than I ever expected too.

“Didn't expect to miss him,” I mumbled into my cup.

Norman didn't say anything, instead he grabbed my hand, “We should get breakfast. Somewhere nice and fancy with pancakes that were flown in from France or something,”

“or,” I started, “We can go crawl back into your great big bed, take all our clothes off and,” I stopped and watched Norman part his lips as I slid my hand up his thigh, “take the longest nap in the history of naps,”

He let out a lungful of air before reaching down and squeezing my thigh, “Or I could fuck you ten ways to Sunday,”

My stomach jumped, “-Or you could do that,”

 

Norman didn't hesitate getting us into the house when he pulled into the drive. I was barely able to put the key in the door before he grabbed my hips, his breath curling against my ear, “Sunshine,” I shivered under his touch.

My back was pressed against the living room wall the moment the front door had closed, Norman attacking my neck and pulling moans out of me. His hand worked my shirt up and over my head, my hands pulling his off. With each article of clothing we lost we stepped a little closer to the bedroom until Norman was in his boxers and I stood over him in my underwear

. Pushing him down onto the bed I crawled onto his lap kissing up his chest until our lips met, and he groaned into my mouth. His left-hand reaching behind me to unhook my bra, he pulled away to help me take it off and grinned at my exposed breasts.

“I fucking love your breasts,” I flushed as he took my right boob in his hand and leaned forward to capture a nipple between his teeth. A moan escaped me as I moved my hips against him begging to be touched. He slid his free hand into my panties, sliding a finger across my wet sex before slipping two digits inside and pressing them against my walls. I gasped into his shoulder, moving myself over his hand straining for more and more until Norman growled.

Grabbing my waist he flipped us so that he hovered over me, after pulling my panties down he helped me yank his boxers off and positioned himself at my entrance. I bit my lips against the moan when he slipped inside me, filling me up until I felt every single inch of him.

“Fu-uck,” He moaned against the bed.

I grabbed his lower back and pushed him further into me, “Fuck,” I moaned when he reached behind me to pushed my lower half even closer to him than it already was. The heat inside of me was building much too quickly for my liking. I wanted this to last long and hard until I was well spent and could barely move.

“God, you're so fucking tight,” he groaned into my ear.

I bit his shoulder before pressing my lips against his ear, “Bend me over and fuck me” I moaned as he hit that deep spot inside me.

Norman stilled for a moment looking at me with blown out pupils, and a grin before pulling out of me and lifted me to my knees. He squeezed my ass, pulling his hand back then brought it down in a sharp smack that I felt through my whole body. I pressed myself against him, reaching down to rub my clit as he pressed against my entrance and pushed inside. Both of us moaning out at the new position before Norman pulled out and pushed back in hard and fast.

“Mmm, fucking harder,” I gasped.

Norman’s nails dug into my hips as he snapped his own forward hitting that sweet spot in me that curled my toes and burned my thighs. I begged for more, begged for it harder until he was hitting into me rough enough that the world exploded in light and I could barely feel his rhythm slowing as he shot into me.

When I could see like a normal human being he had pulled out and flopped down beside me on the bed. His arms thrown above his head, eyes closed and a smile painting his lips. I kissed his forehead with a quick “be right back” as I ran to the bathroom to clean up and pull on a new pair of underwear. When I returned to the room Norman was steadily snoring causing me to roll my eyes and crawl into the bed. Leaning over him I kissed him carefully before settling down and shutting off for a few hours.

 

_“I need you to be quiet,” I hissed at my little brother who pouted up at me but kept his mouth shut as I looked through the crack in the door. I could feel him shaking and everything inside of me wanted to wrap him in my arms and keep him close, but I had to keep looking._

_Keep watching._

_“Come out,” His voice was rough and slurred. I flinched when a loud bang echoed through the house followed by him screaming my name._

_“Sun-” I clamped a hand over his mouth and held my finger up. A shadow passed by the doorway, I could see his feet beneath the door as their shadows arched through the open space. He paused in front of the closet, His back to the door as he looked down the hallway. If he opened it now I don't know what I could do. My brother was still a child, I was- I couldn't bear the thought of him getting his hands on me or on him._

_Tears spilled over my cheeks as I watched him turn to glance at the closet before he curled his lips in a sneer and stumbled down the hallway. We sat there in dead silence until we could hear the front door open and close with a slam before the rumble of his truck shook the floor._

_“Come on,” I whispered but when I opened the door I heard him say my name. Heard him laugh as a searing pain exploded through my head and I fell to the floor._

 

Shooting up right I frantically searched my surroundings trying to take in where the hell I was. The walls were white and decorated in photographs that I recognized like the back of my hand. A flat screen tv showed my reflection back to me, my eyes landing on a sleeping Norman who had thrown his arm over my waist.

A dream.

This was reality and that was a dream.

“Just a dream,” I murmured as I settled back down next to Norman and closed my eyes against the afternoon sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted this to be a lead too chapter- You sort of get to see how Norman and Sunnie act around each other as well as some of Sunnie's past. 
> 
> Mingus will be in the next chapter but I won't be writing a lot of him since he is 17 and I feel like I'm pushing a boundary there. 
> 
> Yeah I know lol


	11. Chapter 11

**_“I'll call you all the time,” Steven threw his arm over Sunnie's shoulder and pulled her against his side._ **

**_She leaned her head against his arm, “It's going to be weird not seeing everyone every day,” He pulled them along towards the lunch tent where everyone had gathered for one last get together before they all headed out. Sarah was the first to see them walk through the tent, she called out their names causing everyone to turn and greet them loudly._ **

**_“I heard you're being renewed?” Sunnie grinned up at Sarah who handed a paper plate to her._ **

**_“Yeah, it's awesome. Greg announced the renewal this morning!” Steven grabbed the back of Sunnie's shirt effectively pulling her away from Sarah and towards the food._ **

**_Another crew photographer smiled at her and asked if she was okay with having her picture taken. She hesitated for a moment, her hand grasping the camera around her neck, but she nodded and smiled as she waited for him to take the photo._ **

**_Before he could snap the shot a hand found her waist, and she was being pulled against Norman’s side who smiled at Connor as the photo was taken._ **

**_He peered at the camera screen, “You two look awesome,” with that he walked away leaving Sunnie to stand awkwardly next to Norman._ **

**_He loaded his own plate up with food, “Feels like we haven't spoken in ages,”_ **

**_She grabbed a watermelon slice, “Yeah,”_ **

**_Norman shoved a piece of cornbread in his mouth, “ ‘uve bin ‘vodin’ me,” She wrinkled her nose at his lack of manners._ **

**_“I will not speak to you with your mouth full,” His eyes shined with laughter. Closing his mouth she watched him chew, forcefully swallow than open up to show her his now empty mouth._ **

**_Sunnie smacked his arm, “That is disgusting,”_ **

**_He laughed but the sound faded quickly, “Seriously, you've been avoiding me,”_ **

**_Sunnie knew he would bring it up eventually, Norman always did. For the last three weeks of filming she had been spending more time within the departments or with Steven. She wasn't sure if she could face Norman after the Midnight’s incident. He had been extremely drunk, and she was sure he had regretted telling her the way he felt; what he wanted to do._ **

**_Turning to gaze away from the actor she lifted her camera up, balancing her plate of food against her stomach, and captured a moment of the whole crowd._ **

**_Norman sighed, “I don't know how to be friends with you, Sunnie,” for some strange reason a pang of regret stabbed through her chest at Norman's use of her real name. For the last six and half months Norman had never referred to her as anything other than Sunshine._ **

**_She looked up at him, “I'm not going to make you be friends with me,”_ **

**_The actor shook his head, “I want to be, but you don't get it,”_ **

**_Andy broke them apart long enough to throw an arm around their shoulders and grin at Connor who captured the moment. When he had disappeared within the crowd once more Norman tugged Sunnie off to the edge of the tent._ **

**_It wasn't exactly private but it was somewhere to talk, “I've been going crazy trying to figure out how to apologize for that night,”_ **

**_Oh?_ **

**_“Apologize for what,” For wanting to kiss me?_ **

**_Norman rubbed the back of his neck, “I know you weren't comfortable with how thing transpired with the panic attack and I made it so much worse by trying to throw myself at you,” he blushed and Dammit was it not the cutest thing Sunnie had ever seen in her whole damn life._ **

**_Watching him standing in front of her she felt a streak of confidence pull at her stomach until she was leaning forward into Norman and lifted her face to his. He hesitated a moment when she pressed her mouth against his but soon his shock faded and his hands found her waist. Their mouths moved together, her arms circling his neck as he pulled her close against him._ **

**_Kissing Norman was different but it felt real. It felt like she had carved a corner of the world to tuck away into, somewhere she just belonged. His arms around her were stable, strong and warm until they heard a click and Norman pulled away to watch Steven lean against Connor who was smiling wildly._ **

**_“Seriously, you two look awesome,”_ **

 

“Fuck yeah,” Mingus threw his hands in the air as he killed me, yet again, at a stupid kill shot game. I plopped the controller on the ground and leaned back into the couch, ignoring the annoyance that wrung my stomach out.

He grinned back at me, “S'wrong Sunnie? Not quite fond of having your ass whooped,”

I glared at him, “Watch your mouth, kid, or I'll have to wash it with soap,”

he smirked wickedly at me before restarting the game making sure to load it as single player instead of a dual match. I shoved his shoulder as I lifted off the couch, heading to the kitchen where Norman was staring down at an attempt for meatloaf. “Everything okay?” Crossing my arms over my chest I smiled when he stuck his tongue out at me.

“I should have taken your offer to let you make it,” He nearly dropped the blob of meat he had been smashing together.

I looked over the content of our dinner and sighed, “It's not holding together because you didn't use the crackers like I told you too,” he looked at me with a raised eyebrow but let me move around him to grab the packet I had shoved into the cabinet. I smashed them up and mixed the crumbs together with the meat, letting my fingers smush through the food before I pressed it all together.

Norman helped me fit it into the pan before placing it in the oven, “Crackers? I don't ever remember there being crackers in meatloaf,”

I shrugged, “I learned it from my m- I picked it up along my years,” Smiling at him I watched the annoyance leak into his eyes. The look on his face let me know he heard me slip up and almost say my Mom but I also knew if I had brought up my family he'd start asking questions again.

I wasn't ready, not yet.

Changing the subject I asked him where the deck of card were, and he grinned wildly, “Mingus,” he hollered.

“Yeah,”

“Time to whip some Sunshine ass,” I heard Mingus cheer before Norman led us into the living room where his son was reaching behind the tv to grab a deck of cards. They were handmade Boondock Saints cards Norman had received a few years back. They had become my favorite set to play with, especially the king cards that were printed copies of Sean and Norman's asses.

It always seemed fitting. “You know the object of the game,” I started as I shuffled the cards and begun dealing them to Mingus and me.

The seventeen-year old raised his chin at me, “Yeah, to whip your ass,”

I finished dealing and laughed, “I think six years of me winning proves that, that will never happen, Ming,”

He grunted as the game begin neither of us coming up with sets for the first few hands but slowly Mingus started laying down melds and I begun to match his pace. He groaned when he wound up with three more cards in his hand than I had but the game had only started.

He had a chance.

I won the first round, beating him by matching one last meld to rid my hand of my cards and Mingus swore he'd win the next round.

“I'm dealing this time,” He stated.

I handed the cards over, “By any means, Kid, deal away,”

I could see Norman shaking his head at us as he scrolled through his phone in between checking the food. I knew he had taken a picture or two because now and then he'd lean further back from us and rise his phone for an angle. Once or twice I felt my phone buzz inside pocket knowing that he had sent me a photo or tagged me in a post. Only, I thought it was him until Norman cleared his throat on Mingus and mine’s last meld.

“Sunshine,” I looked up at him, “It's nothing bad but check your phone,” I eyed him wearily but pulled out my smart phone gawking at the missed notifications.

Nearly a hundred for Instagram, a hundred for Twitter and almost a three hundred on Facebook, “Fuck,”

I pulled up the first notification for Instagram to see a badly edited collage of two photos side by side. My stomach dropped to my feet as I recognized the image of Norman and I eight years ago at the end of season one. It was the first time we had kissed, ever and the side photo was of the kiss we shared last night. The one that was interrupted by a leerer on the sidewalk.

“That got around fast,” I mumbled.

“What did,” Mingus questioned and his Dad showed him the photo before leaving to pull the meatloaf out.

Mingus eyed me carefully, “Are you mad, Sunnie,” I shook my head, “No, people do this shit I just wish I didn't have to see these comments,” I scrolled through my page. Thumbing the screen up as I passed hundreds and hundreds of comments all directed at Norman or I.

“Yeah?” I could hear the question in Mingus’s voice, so I decided to pick a few of the tame ones to read out.

_@Sunniekind_ofday Isn't this You? I love your work._

_-Yeah, she's some kind of photographer. She's worked on the show and I think she shot the latest photos for Captain America._

_@Bigbaldhead @Sunniekind_ofday Never thought Norman would go for a bottle blonde who needs to lose a little weight._

_\- Its temporary neither of them can do commitment._

_@Sunniekind_ofday @Bigbaldhead Y'all are too cute!!!! Please post more couple photos!!!_

Mingus looked at me with his eyebrows bunched together, “At least not all the comments were bad,” 

I shrugged, “Yeah,”

Norman returned with the meatloaf moments later which helped eased the tension out of the room as we all dug into the, actually rather, delicious dinner he sort of prepared. Mingus brought up Christmas and how this was the first year that I'd be spending it in New York and asked what  would I would want to do. Norman started talking before I could answer and honestly I'm fucking glad he did because I didn't know what answer I had. I hadn't even thought about Christmas this year, not one to pay attention to the days when Norman and I got our time together, but Mingus was right. This will be the first Christmas I spent with them and in New York.

“What do y'all normally do,” I spoke up.

Norman looked at me with an amused look in his eye, “Vacation if I have Mingus with me. Last year I went to my Mom's since the kid was his Mom, but this year, well, I guess we can do whatever,”

Mingus beamed, “What do you normally do, Sunnie,”

I paused, “I-I- uh well actually I've worked almost every Christmas since-” I paused as they both stared at me.

“What?”

Norman raised an eyebrow, “You worked? Sunnie, why didn't you ever tell me?”

I shrugged, “I don't know I never really thought about it,”

Silence fell over the three of us as I went back to eating slowly while Mingus played with his food and Norman openly gawked at me. It made my stomach curl knowing that this conversation could lead to a topic I really didn't want to cover.

“I thought you spent it with your family every year,” He dropped his fork, “That's why I never invited you,” 

I shrugged, “It's not a big deal, Norman,”

“I feel like an asshole! You were my girlfriend and every year I thought you jetted off to Ireland or something and visited family. I wanted to ask you every time it rolled around but-” he paused running his hands over his face, “-but I figured since we never talked about I shouldn't bring it up,”

Girlfriend? “Norman,  it really doesn't matter. Especially since we actually weren't in a relationship until recently,” the moment the words left my mouth I wanted to shove them back in.

Norman didn't say anything, he just nodded his head slowly before finishing up his food and rising from the dining room table. He motioned to Mingus’s empty plate who handed it over without question.

“Go ahead and get ready for bed,” He said crisply before leaving the room.

Mingus wouldn't look at me as he rose from the table, leaving the dining room to disappear into his bedroom. When I heard the door click close I felt my heart drop to my feet, my stomach tightening with each second that ticked by.

Why did I have to fucking let my mouth run the way it did? Why couldn't I have just told them that I spent it with family. I should have known Norman would take this personally, I could have just told him what he wanted to hear. I also could have just accepted that he had called me his girlfriend instead of trudging up the fact that we were basically just sleeping together. FUCK why did I have to suck so fucking much.

Lifting from the table I collected my plate and the leftover food bringing them all into the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway. Norman was leaning over the sink slowly cleaning a plate with a cigarette tucked between his lips. Sighing I moved into the kitchen, setting my plate and cup on the counter while I slipped behind Norman to settle the meatloaf in the fridge.

I closed it softly, “I'm sorry,”

Norman stilled, dropping the plate and turning to look over at me, “Okay, “

“I-didn’t think about what I was saying,” I watched him puff on his cigarette before continuing, “The conversation was getting really awkward and I panicked,”

He nodded, “What do you think I'm mad about?”

Jesus why do I feel a role reversal here? “Honestly I'm not sure,”

He dropped the cigarette into the sink and smiled mockingly, “I knew you were difficult when I met you, fuck, it was one of the reasons I wanted you so fucking bad,” I could feel the tension rising between us.

“Norman, I don't know what to say here,”

He shrugged, “There's a lot you can say. Starting with what you think our relationship is and ending with why you have a stubborn refusal to even discuss your family,”

Bile rise in my throat, “Nor-I-ugh- I'm not fucking good at talking like this,” I was not going to panic right now, I was going to swallow the wall that was climbing my throat and talk, “Norman, I'm sorry about the relationship thing okay? We, we never really talked about it and I blocked out what we were for so long that I kind of built up this wall around it until it just became this thing we did. Until seeing you was a normal routine but so was leaving you and I never let myself dwell on it until-”

He raised an eyebrow, “Yeah?”

I puffed a lungful of hair out, “Until I met Jason, the PR rep, and he gave me this opportunity to be right next to you. It all came crumbling down inside of me that I loved you, but I still hadn’t known what we were,” I couldn't look at him as the words tumbled out of my mouth, “I can't talk about my family, I can't, okay? For so fucking long I've pushed my feelings on my relationship with them onto a back burner so that I could move on with my life,”

No-one asked me about them, no one questioned why they weren't around except for fucking you. You always wanted to know this shit about me! I-I couldn't, I can't tell you about my family because if I did shit would come dragging up from the past that I don't want you to see. I can't let you see,” tears were stuffing my throat, spilling down my cheeks as I rambled on and on and on.

“I don't want you to be a part of my past, Norman, so why does it matter?” 

My chest collapsed I folded in on myself, my arms wrapping around my torso as I fought back the emotions. Norman stayed silent as I felt him move towards me, his arms coming out to wrap around me and pull me against him. Every inch of me wanted to cling to him until I could breathe again but I couldn't let go of myself, if I moved I'd break. If I moved I’d be vulnerable and open so that he could break me.

I had to stay me.

“Sunshine,” Norman whispered against my hair. “Fuck, I feel like such an asshole right now,”

I couldn't help the giggle that broke through the tears. He took the opportunity to lift my face to his, his fingers wiping away the tears even as they fell. Those damn blue eyes kept searching over me, looking me up in down checking to make sure that I was here and real. Slowly my arms fell from my torso to wrap around his. He pulled the into a tighter hug, burying his face in my hair.

“I want to know your past Sunnie, because I want to know you,” he whispered.

“I can't, Norman, “

He sighed but didn't let go, “We'll figure it out,” 

Please don't make me, Norm, please, “I love you,” I murmured into his chest.

His chest rumbled with a laugh, “I love you,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long...my daddy has surgery and than my boyfriend of four years left me and I just...havent bad motivation to care.
> 
> For some reason it only posted half the chapter so...hope you still enjoy


	12. Chapter 12

**_“BUTTERCUP!” Sunnie looked up from her camera to squint her eyes against the sun._ **

**_“Oh my God,” she could barely make out a waving Steven on the other side of the road. Lifting her camera she peered through the lens to capture a few shots of him running across the roadway. When he reached her she dropped her camera in time for him to wrap her in a bone crushing hug and spin them around._ **

**_Once her feet were safely on the ground she grinned, “What are you doing here? How are you? How did you know it was me?” She was so excited to see her friend she didn't know where to start._ **

**_Steven helped, “I'm doing an interview for the show, I'm great actually and I watched you work so much on set I just knew,”_ **

**_“That's fucking creepy,” she grinned, “Oh, are you free? We should get lunch!”_ **

**_He agreed and Sunnie let him lead the way to his favorite sandwich shop nearby. Steven asked about her current project, and she pulled her camera up to show him._ **

**_“I'm trying to capture life stills,” she showed him images of blurry people walking by of a seagull that nearly decapitated her and a couple becoming engaged. Steven praised each photo asking her the meaning behind each shot until she ran out of photos making it was his turn._ **

**_“Are  you psyched?”_ **

**_He shrugged, “It'll be the first one I'm doing by myself since filming ended,” Steven led them into a yellow building. The moment when the air conditioning  face she about moaned in relaxation._ **

**_Steven smirked at her, “You okay there?”_ **

**_She sighed, “I was outside for longer than I thought. Air conditioning feels like I died and went to heaven,”_ **

**_Steven helped Sunnie order off the new menu, explaining which sandwiches were perfect for a quick lunch, what kind of bread they had compared to their sandwich shops and the perfect dessert. Sunnie declined on the cheesecake but ordered a simple ham sandwich with a coke._ **

**_Steven pulled her chair out for her before sitting across the table, “So,”_ **

**_She raised a brow, “So what?”_ **

**_“Have you seen Norman since filming ended?” He took a slow bite out of his food._ **

**_She could feel the blush creeping up her neck, “Not exactly,”_ **

**_That got a cheeky grin out of her friend,  “By that you mean?”_ **

**_Sunnie rolled my eyes, “We might-uh- talk on the phone every night,” Steven grinned so wide she was sure his face would split in half. Ignoring the look he was giving her she finished off her sandwich and waited patiently as he finished his._ **

**_Taking a sip of the cola she waved her hand, “What are you doing tonight?”_ **

**_“I have the interview at three then I'm basically game for anything,”_ **

**_Sunnie clapped her hands, “Sweet, I'm free after five! We should meet up for dinner and drinks!”_ **

**_They parted ways with a promise for later._ **   
  


**_When Sunnie fell through her hotel room door with Steven’s laughter echoing behind her she couldn't help but feel a rush of enjoyment at the reminder of tonight. She hadn't spent anytime with her friend since filming ended and tonight she got to see him twice, plus they had gotten kicked out a bar._ **

**_Her and Steven!_ **

**_“I will see you later,” he kissed her cheek before leaving her to curse at the sliding key she couldn't figure out. Once inside she pulled her clothes off, watching them fall to the floor as she dug through her bag to scrounge for sleeping clothes. If Norman were here she wouldn't wear anything to bed, she'd want him to cuddle her and be shocked when he touched her bare body._ **

**_Collapsing onto the bed she lifted her phone above her face trying to decipher if she should call him or wait for him to call her. A few moments passed as her fingers played idly with the edge of her phone until it went off._ **

**_Speak of the devil._ **

**_Sunnie grinned when her phone started vibrating, and she saw his name flash on the screen, “Norman,” she breathed into the receiver._ **

**_He chuckled, “Hello, Sunshine,” God just hearing his voice sent her heart racing._ **

**_“Callin’ me to say goodnight,” She stretched out across the bed._ **

**_“I always call to say goodnight, sweetheart,” there was a lazy drawl to his voice that Sunnie knew meant he was lying in bed. Oh how she wished he were lying in bed with her instead of three thousand miles away. She wanted to press her body against his, feel his fingers brush across her skin sending goose bumps over her body._ **

**_“Whatchu doing,” She murmured._ **

**_Norman laughed softly, “Lying in bed. Are you okay, baby?”_ **

**_She nodded, “I saw Steven today! We had lunch and dinner and drinks, oh my Norman, so many drinks,”_ **

**_Another laugh, “Are you drunk, Sunshine”_ **

**_“Wee bit tipsy, Normie,” she stretched again this time popping that sweet spot in her lower back. “I miss you, Norman,” she whispered._ **

**_Sunnie could hear the hesitation in his voice, “I'll let you get some sleep,”_ **

**_Rejection slammed through her body shaking her core but something swirled inside her chest pulling through the sickening feel in her stomach. It's been nearly a month since they kissed, since she felt those warm lips on her and had those strong arms wrapped around her body. It's been a month since she looked into those blue eyes imagining all the dirty things he could do to her._ **

**_She grinned slowly, “Only if you're in it with me, Norman,” her tone changed. She spoke low and soft as she shifted across the sheets of the hotel bed._ **

**_Normans breath hitched, “I wish I was there,”_ **

**_“What would we do if you were here,” Her hand slipped into her top, her fingers brushing across her nipple until it hardened beneath her touch._ **

**_Norman’s voice sent a chill through her, “I'd want to press you against me, Sunshine,”_ **

**_She could feel it, feel his warm hard body pressed against her as he kissed her so softly it nearly hurt, “I'd want more than that,”_ **

**_She could hear him groan lowly, “What would you want me to do,” She touched her collar bone letting her fingertips trace over her top down her stomach to the exposed skin of her waist where she played with the band of her shorts._ **

**_“I’d want you to kiss me,” Her finger played at her panties._ **

**_“Kiss you where, Sunnie,”_ **

**_“I'd want you to start at my neck, your teeth nipping my skin as you moved over my body,” she moaned carefully when she nearly touched herself._ **

**_Normans breathing accelerated,  “I want to kiss you, Sunnie, I want to kiss your breast until you whimpered for more,” There was a shuffling in the background, and Sunnie imagined Norman rubbing himself so fucking slowly._ **

**_“I want more, God, I want know how you feel,” Her fingers touched her wetness, slicking them up so that she could rub herself easily._ **

**_Norman moaned, “I want to taste you, Sunshine, I want to feel your legs wrapped around my shoulder as I lick you,”_ **

**_“Fuck,” Sunnie’s fingers brushed her clit before she rubbed it to the sound of Norman’s breathing._ **

**_“Jesus Norman,  I want you to fuck me,” she could see it. See his blue eyes looking up at her from between his legs. A smirk painting his lips as he pulled up her body to settle between her thighs, and she'd beg him to just push inside of her._ **

**_“Fu-uck, Sunshine, I wanna feel how fucking wet you are,” A deep groan left Norman’s lips as he pulled himself to the edge._ **

**_“Norman,” Sunnie moaned as she pushed herself to that peak her lower half moving against her hand as she listened to him groaning her name._ **

**_“Please, Sunnie I'm so fucking close,”_ **

**_“I want to feel you filling me up. Norman,  I want to feel how hard you are, fuck- fuck,” Sunnie’s orgasm rolled through. Her moans egging Norman to his own release,and she grinned when she heard him groan her name before buzzing silence._ **

**_They didn't speak for a few moments, Sunnie could hear Norman moving around on his end. She figured he was cleaning up, and she knew she should go clean herself up, but she was so sated just lying her in bed coming down from her high._ **

**_“New year's, “ Norman’s voice cut through the silence._ **

**_Sunnie hummed._ **

**_“I want to see you on New Year's,”_ **

**_Oh, “Like in New York?”_ **

**_“You can stay with me,” Butterflies erupted inside her stomach. She would be spending time with Norman, in New York-in his home._ **

**_“I know we'll see each other for the entertainment weekly in a few weeks but I really want you all to myself,” He sounded so sleepy._ **   
**_“Okay, Norman, I'll see you then,”_ **

 

I stared down at the photo in my hand watching the dark room light bending the image so that the model I captured looked like he was seeing through me. 

Dead smile and dead eyes. 

Clipping it up on the hanger I brushed my hands down my hoodie and moved to the  other side of the room. I wasn't use to Norman’s set up, but I was appreciative that he let me use it until mine was complete. His dark room was small and, really, just the office space with the lights turns off when needed. 

I looked over some of Norman’s finished photos. I scanned various images of the black and white shots, animals scrounging for food or looking up at the camera with sad eyes, some of just blurry landscapes that made your eyes shake. My favorite was of a model, her legs thrown on either side of a bathtub with what looked like a clown outfit on. It made my stomach curl with fear but my head spin with confusing excitement. 

I loved his work.

When I decided looking over his work had become a bit too much I carefully left the room in search for some kind of breakfast. The hoodie I had thrown on the moment I woke didn't seem to be fighting the chill that had seeped into the house overnight. Stopping at the couch I pondered the fleece blanket that I bought from bed bath and beyond. It looked cozy. 

It would look even cozier if I wore as a cape. 

Throwing it over my shoulder I looped two edges under my arms and pinned them together with a safety pin. Feeling a little too excited about my new wardrobe I moved towards the kitchen once more opening the fridge and peering inside. Norman desperately needed to go grocery shopping but luckily he had eggs and bacon tucked into the fridge. Grabbing the food items I snatched the milk as well and begun my breakfast prep. 

Attempting to be a quiet as possible so as not to wake a sleeping Norman. 

My mind began to wander when I started frying the eggs. Mingus was at school until three and since neither of us had planned for a normal day we had nothing to do. 

What would we do? 

Norman and I haven't actually done normal couple stuff before, at least not as an actual couple. We've seen movies together but a lot of the time we had people with us, or we were aiming to turn each other on. I didn't know New York all that well, maybe for the first time I could be a tourist. 

Oh! We could go see the statue of liberty! Wait, no, it's too damn cold for that. 

Shopping! 

Only, fuck, I hate shopping with other people. I had a system when I shopped that involved idly walking through stores silently judging every article of clothing or item I found until I stumbled across one I liked. People ruined that system but wanting to make conversation or ask me to try on various items they've pulled forth from a random rack. Norman may be different though. 

Norman has always been different. 

Even from the start he never treated me like everyone else treated me.

He made me feel special, real and like I mattered even if I fucked things up. Even when I couldn't drag myself out of my head long enough to realize he too has feelings and a point of view. A sinking feeling weighed my stomach down as I looked back at the way I have been treating him. How little I pay attention to the details of his life even though I expect him to pay attention to mine, to the parts I show him. 

How can we be in a relationship if he gives it all but I give so little. 

_ You know you have to talk to him about them eventually.  _ I just don't know how. 

I jumped when I heard someone chuckle behind me, spinning around I came face to face with a sleepy eyed Norman. He had on a pair of plaid pajama bottoms with a simple grey shirt to cover his torso. His left hand was running over his facial hair as he looked at me through his bangs. 

“Can I help you,” I waved the spatula at him. 

He smirked, “Not everyday you get to watch superman fry bacon in your kitchen,” 

I blushed turning away from him to focus on the food. I heard the padding of his feet as he moved towards me, his arms wrapping around my waist as he leaned his chin on my shoulder. 

“Smells good,” He reached over to the cooling plate to grab a piece of bacon and I swatted his hand. 

He pouted, “It's almost done, go sit down,” that earned me a very dirty look but his smile turned playful, and he leaned in for a kiss. Capturing my lips with his he turned us, so I pressed against the counter, his hands coming to tuck behind the blanket and pressed my lower half against his. Chills spread through me as I fought for dominance with his tongue eventually giving in and moaning into the kiss. My world spinning out of focus until Norman pulled back and grinned at me. I watched as he popped a piece of bacon into his mouth and jumped away when I aimed to swat his ass. 

“Screw you, Reedus,”

**_  
“After breakfast!”  _ **

 

“You need to ‘oh gro’ry shop’in,” I murmured into my hands. 

Norman looked down at me, “I need to do gnomes hopping?” 

Rolling my eyes I pulled my hands away from my face, “Gro-ce-ry shopping, like for food,” 

He nodded slowly, “I liked the other option more,” he smiled when I scoffed but I lifted up from his lap and pulled his attention away from the television. 

“Seriously though,” 

“Why would I want to go grocery shopping when I can order in every night,” He looked at me sideways. 

I pinched my nose, “Because I like eating homemade meals and I want to get out! Go do something with you,” that got his attention as he leaned towards me and grabbed my waist pulling me too him until I straddled his lap. 

His lips found my neck, teeth scraping my collarbone as he kissed along the slope of my neck until he pulled my face down so that we could kiss properly. I grabbed the back of neck, my fingers entangling in his hair as I melted against him. No matter what situation we were in if Norman kissed me everything would right itself. It had too because someone with lips that felt as great as his couldn't let the world fall to shit. 

Rules of the land and all. 

When his hand started to slip into the waistband of my pajama pants I pulled back and stared at him. His eyes were black, lips quirked in a smirk as he pulled me tight against him, “Why would we go out when we can stay in,” again he kissed my neck this time sucking just below the neckline of my t shirt until I felt the hickey forming beneath his mouth. I moaned at the painful suction until he pulled off and licked across his claim, eyes twinkling when he could see the forming mark. 

“I could leave these all over your body,” he whispered against the wet skin, “every time you take off your clothes you'll see me,” I froze beneath his touch. My head bursting with flashes of someone else saying that too me only their lips didn't kiss across the mark they made. 

Norman must have felt me tense because he pulled his head back and frowned at me, “Sunnie,” 

I tried to smile tried not to flinch as shadows of words echoed through my mind, “Let's go Christmas shopping,” I managed weakly. 

Norman didn't say anything for a while until slowly he smiled and helped me off his lap. “Yeah, okay let's go,” 

We didn't go shopping in the city, instead we went to a nearby shopping mall with few people littered around the building. Norman helped me out of the jeep, stopping me the moment I was standing to pull me unit a quick kiss. Smiling into the affection I tugged on his knit cap and pulled away to watch him roll his eyes. 

“What the mission here,” I tugged my camera until it was fitted against my neck. 

Norman arched his arm out to indicate the large building, “Goodies, my dear,” 

I laughed entwining my fingers with his as we made our way into the building. My eyes skimmed over various stores until I spotted  _ Spencer's _ and grinned. Tugging him until we stood at the entrance, “I know what I want to get Andy and Steven,” 

He smirked when I pulled to the wall of sex toys and started messing with various dildos,  picking a rainbow colored one up and pointing it at his stomach, “Rainbow jizz,” 

He grabbed it out of my hand and stuck the tip close to his mouth, “Does this make my lips look fat,” 

I lifted my camera snapping a shot before snickering when he licked the tip and grimaced, “I'm getting this for him. He and Gael need some spicing up,” 

“Oh! Oooooooh!” I knew the perfect thing to do! 

“Look,” turning him around I motioned to the bachelorette section. Norman followed me as I grabbed numerous dick shaped items and shoved them all into a bag with a half naked man printed on the side. 

“What about Steven?” Norman motioned to a t shirt with The Walking Dead printed above a  photo of zombies busting through a door.    


Shaking the bag I grabbed a dick shaped shot glass, “I'm splitting the thought,” 

Around two o'clock we had scavenged half the stores on the mall ending in the cafeteria right in front of a Books-A-Million that was calling my name, but so was a young teenager from the edge of the food court. Norman smiled at me but I wasn't in the mood for fans and instead trudged my way towards the bookstore until I heard it. 

Almost like a mating call in the wild Norman's name was unleashed around the room until swarms of fans gathered around us. Norman was polite, smiling at all of them and signing anything that he could carefully get his hands on. I sucked up my pride and snapped as many photos as I was asked until a hand tugged me off to the side and a pretty young girl with braces and thick blue glasses grinned up at me. 

“Are you Norman's girlfriend?” She nearly squealed.  

“Uh,” 

“Duh, Krissy, that's Sunniva O'donnell the photographer,” A teenager who looked about the same age except for the three pounds of markup caked on her face broke in next to Krissy. 

Krissy lowered her gaze from me, “Oh, I've seen your Instagram,” 

Make up girl scoffed, “No offense but why would he want someone like you,” She eyed Norman hungrily and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. I was her once, a young Fangirl begging for her celebrity's attention, but I was never rude. When it came out that RDJ was married again; I was happy for him. 

This young girl did not have that type or courtesy. 

“Alice,” Krissy hissed but the makeup girl wasn't listening. 

She turned to me, “You're his personal photographer aren't You? That's why he lets you hang around him so much,” 

People started to surround us, asking over and over if Norman and I were together. I tried to catch eyes with him, but he was being tugged into a group of girls with their phones raised high and I realized I was in this on my own. 

“Look guys, I'm willing to take a large group photo if you want but you need to understand we are busy,” I sounded rude.  I could hear the bluntness in my voice, but I was used to crowds like this. I also had irritation trickling down my stomach as Alice sneered at me. 

A kid no older than thirteen shouted a yes which erupted another wave of questions thrown my way.  _ Are you his girlfriend? Are you going to get married? Can I have him when you're done? Why is he with you?  _

Voice spun in and out of my head until something snapped, and I was looking at fans, I wasn't hearing them anymore. Instead, I was looking out at a faceless crowd that murmured white noise at me until I tucked my bag as close to me as I could and walked away. Ignoring the tugging I felt at my arms and the loud muffled yelling that echoed around me. I just kept walking until I had maneuvered myself back to the opposite side of the mall. I was near a jewelry store, the salespeople merely looked up at me and smiled as I made my way through the quiet rows of necklaces and rings. Slowly the white noise faded until I focused in on the low melody playing through the speakers of the jewelry store.

Somewhere in the distant I could feel an irritating buzz against my hip but I shifted my purse until I didn't feel it anymore. Walking up to the engagement ring I peered at a beautiful princess cut that shined beneath artificial light. 

I shouldn't have walked away like I did but listening to all of those voice asking me why, why, why made my skin crawl. It didn't matter if I was his girlfriend, it didn't matter who I was because you were here for Norman not me. I was a faceless photographer who captured the moment, not get swept up in it.

I felt pathetic and weak that I had let their voice get to me after all these years. I'd been spotted with Norman in public before. We'd been to events together where he has his arm on my waist and paparazzi yelled at us the whole time asking my name and who  was. 

This was our life. 

Something was different this time and I could feel the panicked numbness itching across my skin with every scream that was aimed my way.  I couldn't handle the way they were all looking at me. I couldn't handle the accusations and the questions that were repeated over and over again until it had become a waving mantra over the crowd. 

“Ma’am,” I violently jerked when a sales lady touched my shoulder. 

Looking up into soft green eyes I forced myself out my head and smiled as softly as I could, “Yes?” 

She motioned to my purse, “I don't mean to be rude but your phone keeps distracting the other shoppers,” As soon as she said it I recognized the chiming buzz that I felt against my side. 

Apologizing I dig through my phone until I was looking at Norman flipping me off, “Hello,” 

“Sunnie! Where are you?” I could a murmur of voices behind him but soon I heard a swoosh and the voices were gone. 

“Leannes,” I stepped out of the jewelry store to stand before a vending machine. In seconds, I saw Norman followed by a security officer marching towards me. 

His glasses were enclosed by his right fist and I could see the worry lacing his eyes. When he reached m his arm wrapped around my body until I was pressed tightly against him. I clung to him, my heart pounding as I fought back unwarranted tear burning their way up my throat.

He pulled back, “Why did you walk away,” 

I looked at the security officer and Norman followed my gaze, “That's Arnold, he'll follow us as we leave,” 

I nodded, “I-I had to get out of there,” 

Norman kept his arm over my shoulder as we moved out of the mall. My left-hand carried the bags I had shoved together as my right clasped into his waist, nails digging into his jacket. 

He sighed, “You've never had a problem with crowds before,” 

“I don't know what was wrong. All these girls were screaming at me and I just couldn't  handle it,” Norman thanked Arnold who nodded at us both before heading back into the mall. I tucked my head against my chest as we moved towards the car. Norman stayed quiet until we were clicked in and the heater was blasting against my face.

“Did you have a panic attack.” 

I shook my head.

“Why didn't you answer your phone then? Sunnie, I called you nearly sixteen times I was so fucking worried,” 

I rubbed my hands together, “I wasn't pay attention Norman, my head wasn't taking everything in-I just needed a breather or I might have actually had an attack,” he stayed silent even when we pulled out of the parking lot and started on the highway. I didn't know what to say anyway. I hadn't had a panic attack, it was more like a sensory overload until all systems shut down. 

I'd experienced it before. 

_ The sharp smack across my face sent me sprawling onto the carpet. My teeth breaking my bottom lips until blood spilled over my mouth. I didn't cry out, I didn't scream or whimper I just fell to the floor with a thud as his screams became muffled sounds around me.  _

_ Until white noise filled my senses.  _

“Sunnie,” I flinched. 

Norman eyed me wearily, “Sunnie, you’ve been acting really weird since that phone call,” 

I shook my head, “A lot changed in the last few days, Norman, I'm just trying to grow accustomed to it,” 

His jaw tightened, “Yeah, okay Sunnie,” 

I sighed, “Nor-” 

“Just don’t,” Anger laced his words. I turned my head into the windows ignoring the banging of my heart against my rib cage.

I didn't want him mad at me. 

Biting my tongue I took a few deep breaths before looking out at the passing houses, “It was my little brother,” 

Silence. 

I felt Norman look at me but I kept my eyes trained on the outside world until I heard him take in a breath prepared to respond only to leave the car silent still. I tensed waiting for his to scream, lash out at me for my reveal but instead I felt a hand touch my thigh causing me to look over at him. He had a smooth face, his eyes trained on the road as his thumb rubbed circles into my thigh. 

Taking strength from him I forced myself to keep going, “His name is Emmers-we-we haven't spoken in a while,” 

Norman just nodded, “What did he call about,” 

I shivered despite the full blast of the heater, “He's gonna be a dad,” a small laugh escaped my words and I saw a small smile tug at Norman’s lips. 

  
“Thank you,” He murmured and I felt a weight lift off my chest. Grabbing his hand I closed my eyes as we drove the rest of the way home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long I'm going throung my life changes but if ever you feel you've waited long enough and I haven't posted just holler at me!!! 
> 
> Pleas enjoy this shitty peace offering!


	13. Chapter 13

**_Sunnie collapsed onto the hotel room bed, her bag falling off the side and landing with an audible thump. She winced against the noise but couldn't bring herself to check to make sure the items inside were okay. She'd flown in from Minnesota on a coach flight that she had not expected to take. Somehow her flights were confused and they had her booked for Rhode Island instead of California and Jesus she was tired. Kicking off her shoes she had full intentions of curling into a ball and passing out. Her intentions were shot to hell. Incessant knocking jarred her back into reality where she so desperately wished to escape._ **

**_“SUNNIE!” A muffled british voice hollered through the door as another round of knocking ensued._ **

**_“Jesus, Andrew hold on,” She unlocked the door throwing it open to see a smiling Andrew leaning against the frame. Steven, Michael,_ _Jon_ _, and Melissa were leaning against the wall behind him passing a, most_ **

**_Sunnie collapsed onto the hotel room bed, her bag falling off the side and landing with an audible thump. She winced against the noise but couldn't bring herself to check to make sure the items inside were okay._ **

**_She'd flown in from Minnesota on a coach flight that she had not expected to take. Somehow her flights were confused and they had her booked for Rhode Island instead of California and Jesus she was tired. Kicking off her shoes she had full intentions of curling into a ball and passing out._ **

**_Her intentions were shot to hell._ **

**_Incessant knocking jarred her back into reality where she so desperately wished to escape._ **

**_“SUNNIE!” A muffled_ _British_ _voice hollered through the door as another round of knocking ensued._ **

**_“Jesus, Andrew hold on,” She unlocked the door throwing it open to see a smiling Andrew leaning against the frame. Steven, Michael,_ _Jon_ _, and Melissa were leaning against the wall behind him passing a_ _bottle_ _of vodka back and forth._ **

**_Andy grinned, “Join us, young one,” he was drunk._ **

**_“Y'all do know you have to be up in eight hours right?”_ **

**_Steven snickered, “We've been doing_ _non_ _-_ _stop_ _interviews all week, Buttercup, we need a little fun,”_ **

**_Sunnie pinched the bridge of her nose until she heard a voice shout down the hall for Andrew. Every hair on her body stood on end as her stomach unleashed a zoo of butterflies as she watched Norman stumbled into the group. He lingered against Andrew's side for a second before he noticed Sunnie standing before them and a grin broke out._ **

**_“There's the most beautiful girl in the world!” He threw his arms around her, pushing their bodies together until their limbs were practically entwined._ **

**_Andrew took this as a good thing and announced that they'd be moving to his suite to continue the drinking. Sunnie barely had time to object before she was being pulled along with Norman who kept her tucked underneath his arm. Everything inside her begged for them to allow her to return to her room where she could hide, but the warmth emitting from Norman pulled her further along the hall until Andrew led them into his room._ **

**_“Gather round,” he grinned brightly._ **

**_Melissa passed the bottle to Sunnie who eyed it before taking a quick swig._ **

**_Norman ducked his head into her neck, “You smell so good,” he murmured against her skin causing her to shiver._ **

**_She leaned into him, “Thank you,”_ **

**_Andrew clapped his hands together, “I haven't had this much fun with Vodka since Gael and I first started dating,”_ **

**_Michael laughed, “Whiskey is my poison but the kid brought the good stuff,” He swiped the bottle off Jon before taking a gulp and passing it over to Norman who shook his head._ **

**_“Here,” Sunnie grabbed it and took a mouthful watching Norman smirk at her as she swallowed the liquid down._ **

**_Her stomach began to loosen as the group made their way through the bottle rehashing old memories of the first time they were drunk. Norman had pulled Sunnie onto his lap somewhere between Melissa recounting of losing her bra at a high school party and Andrew throwing mini liquor bottles into the bunch. She felt light and warm even after Norman told his story of drinking at a friend's house and waking up_ _half_** - ** _naked_ _in a deer stand. His arms had wrapped around her holding her tightly to him, his lips playing at the back of her neck every time someone in the group would start a story._**

**_She was three mini tequilas in when Andrew threw her name out, “Sunnie what about you,”_ **

**_She hummed, “What about me,”_ **

**_“What's your most embarrassing drunk story,” Warning bells went off in her head but for some_ _reason_ _, her mouth had disconnected from her brain as she begun an old memory she never thought she'd bring up._ **

**_“I was nineteen, it was me, my friend Daryn and Shaun and we had just gotten back from a college trip. Daryn decided she wants to go skinny dipping in this really old lake that was tucked away in a farm no one in their right mind had heard of. I was too far gone to know that this was a bad idea and Shaun, who was supposed to be protecting us by the way, thought it was clever._ **

**_So we snuck into this fucking farm, right, that had this big_ _ol_ _’ fence up that we had to climb over. When we finally made it to the lake Daryn was already half naked and I had been trying to remember had to strip the whole way down. We barely even touched the water before lights got shined on us and some old farmer wearing overalls and had, like, one tooth came hollering and screaming at us. Daryn ran all the way back to the truck_ _buck_** **_ass_ _naked with Shaun trailing behind her and me,” Sunnie could see everyone's face grow with anticipation as she took a deep swig of vodka._**

**_“I ask what I could do to keep him from calling the cops,”_ **

**_Norman looked at her, “Yeah and?”_ **

**_She grinned, “I showed him my tits,” The group all burst into laughter as she snuggled in closer to Norman loving the static that rushed over her body._ **

**_Steven grinned at her, “You never got in trouble?”_ **

**_She shook her head, “Only by Shaun but then again no-one would be too happy if their wife shows off her damn tits to a redneck farmer,” Sunnie laughed but something had shifted in the room. All eyes were trained on her as she slowly_ _realized_ _what she and just revealed._ **

**_Suddenly the buzz had worn off and all she wanted to do was curl in herself and shut away from the world._ **

**_Norman cleared his throat, “You were married?”_ **

**_She bit her tongue until it bleed before she could respond, “I-Yeah,”_ **

**_She felt Norman nod against her shoulder blades, “You're not still, right?”_ **

**_Everyone looked at her as she lifted off Norman's lap and aimed for the door the room spinning around her as she fought through the alcohol clogging her system. Steven yelled after her but she couldn't get_ _past_ _the ringing in her ear._ **

**_How could she have just revealed that so damn smoothly?_ **

**_Why was she reacting this way?_ **

**_Rubbing the back of her neck she stumbled back to her room nearly making it before she felt two hands grab her waist and Norman was holding her up as she tried to pull away from him._ **

**_“_ _Sunnie, Sunnie calm down okay,” Her breathing had skyrocketed until she_ _was felt the room spinning around her and her stomach was revolting. Norman must have seen the green in her face because he pulled her key card from her hand and unlocked the door helping her to the bathroom._ **

**_He held her hair as she released the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Her nose burning as she wretched harder than she wanted too._ **

**_“Thank you,” She murmured into the toilet set._ **

**_Norman smiled, “Are you okay?”_ **

**_Sunnie nodded and asked if he could leave the room so she can straighten herself up. He smirked but left her to her own devices so she could brush her teeth and wash off her face looking at herself in the bathroom mirror she shook her head. She shouldn't have reacted the way she had._ **

**_She couldn't stop herself._ **

**_She hadn't spoken about Shaun in almost two years yet she had just casually told one of their memories. If she hadn’t noticed her_ _mistake_** **_if the mood had shifted differently and the drinks flowed another she might have revealed what happened later that night._**

**_She rubbed her left arm, straightened her back and walked out into the main room to see Norman scrolling through his phone on her bed._ **

**_Sunnie cleared her throat, “Thank you, Norman,”_ **

**_He nodded, “I'll help you_ _any_** **_way_ _I can,”_**

**_A blush heated her cheeks, “I-uh-I’m sorry,” tears pricked her eyes but she bit them back._ **

**_“Sunshine,” Norman jumped up from the bed and wrapped his arms around her causing the tears to spill over until she was bawling in his arms. He had maneuvered them until they were sitting on the bed. His hand rubbing circles into her lower back until the crying ceased. She didn't want to move, she wanted to stay tucked into Norman’s lap until the world pulled them back into reality._ **

**_She felt safe here._ **

**_“Stay,” Sunnie whispered._ **

**_Norman shifted to look at her, “I'm not going anywhere, Sunshine,”_ **

**_She shook her head, “Stay tonight, please?”_ **

**_Norman’s eyes studied her until he finally nodded and helped her off his lap so they could get ready for bed. She changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, splashing cold water_ _on_ _her face to wipe away the tears. When she returned back to the room Norman was in his boxers sitting on the edge of the bed smiling up at her._ **

**_Sunnie jumped around him climbing under the blankets and waited for him to join her, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her back against him._ **

**_“Are you okay?” He whispered._ **

**_Sunnie sighed, “I shouldn't have reacted like that,”_ **

**_He stayed silent but she could feel his breathing against her neck, “It okay, just, was it a bad marriage?” the hesitation in his voice tightened her stomach._ **

**_She turned around so she was facing him, barely making out the gleam of his eyes, “Yes,”_ **

**_Norman nodded, “You can tell me anything, Sunnie,”_ **

**_She kissed him. It took him a second to realize what was happening before he began to kiss her back, his hands sliding across her hips. She pressed her lower half against his, ignoring the butterflies that fluttered through her stomach even when he massaged his tongue against hers and a moan escaped her._ **

**_Norman’s hand brushed her ass, fingers curling under the hem of her shorts so that the tips of his fingers dug into her cheeks._**  
  
**_She could feel his hardening member pressed against her; she moved her hand down to cup it. Norman moaned into her mouth as she rubbed her hand up and down the length of him._**

**_“Sunnie,” He moaned turning his head so he can kiss across her neck, biting down on her_ _collarbone_ _pulling another moan from inside her._ **

**_She wanted him, She wanted to feel him inside her so fucking badly._ **

**_“Norman fu-”_ **

**_They jumped when knocking shook her door. Staring at each other they listened to another knock before she could hear her phone going off on the_ _bedside_ _table._ **   
**_“Sunnie,” Steven's voice was muffled_ _by_ _the door, “I don't know if you're in there but-just- I'll talk to you tomorrow, Sweetie,”_ **

**_When the room went silent Norman let a breathy laugh out before he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Sunnie felt cold embarrassment wash over her but she kept it all inside as she snuggled closer to Norman closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat beneath her ear._ **

 

 

Saturday morning Mingus asked me if I would be willing to help him with a mid-term project in his history class. I looked at him expecting to see some kind of questioning in his eyes but instead, all I saw was pure curiosity. 

 

“Sure, man. What is it about?” 

 

Mingus rose from the table to grab his backpack from the hallway coming back with a photography book in his hand, “We got to choose different ways to represent the changing of times. How things have moved from one era to the next so progressively- well, I wanted to do mine through photography. Mom and Dad are both great photographers and you-well you are literally a professional photographer who shoots living progression. I’ve seen some of your work in here, Sunnie, the shot of the Berlin wall that you compromised with overviews of the original structure-” He paused to take a breathe his grin so wide it hurt my eyes. 

 

“Thanks, dude, but what are you wanting to do,” 

 

Mingus nodded, “Okay, what I’m wanting to do is represent the change of media,” he opened the book to land on the exact photo of mine he had mentioned. It was surrounded by three other prints of my work, one of a model holding a bomb over a globe, the next a still frame of Robert Downey Jr. working as Iron man with his head bent over his script, a celery stick poking from his teeth as the world blurred behind him, the last was one of my favorites. No One knew who I had photographed, everyone believing it to be a model but if they only knew it was Norman the first night we had stayed in his apartment. Norman had fallen asleep on the couch, head tucked under a blanket with a bottle of rum dangling from his fingers. He had looked so peaceful and so surreal that I had to take a photo. I altered it later, adding effects to the background so no one could make out exactly where he was. To the outside eyes, he was a drunk hovering in the space of time, wasting his life away one sip at a time. 

 

To me he was everything. 

 

“Tell me what you want and I’ll do it, kid,” 

  
  


Two hours later Norman was scratching his scarf across his face as I attempted to set my camera in front of the New York library, ignoring the glared from passer-bys. Mingus was digging through his phone, trying to find the angle of the picture he wanted me to recreate. The project we were helping him with seemed all fun and games until we had to go into the city and photographed random New York buildings. 

 

Mingus wanted it to be absolutely perfect and it seemed no matter what image I shot it was never the right one. 

 

“I just need it to look exactly alike,” he had groaned when I showed him my view of the tip of Broadway. I had made my image more of an expanding view where it starts small at than gets larger but the photo we were coping was of a standard straight view. 

 

Norman rubbed his neck, “Bud, it's never going to be exactly the same that's sort of what shows how things have changed,” 

 

That earned a good place seventeen-year-old glare. You know what they say if look could kill. 

 

“Here,” I motioned for Mingus to look through the lens before I took the shot.  He went back and forth from my camera to his phone readjusting here and there. 

 

Norman peered at me with a smirk, I stuck my tongue out at him causing a snort or escape that caught Mingus’s attention. Annoyance sparked in his eyes but he kept his mouth shut as he signaled to the camera. 

I shot rapid fire shots, catching as many I could without people walking by and as many as I could with pedestrians walking by. Looking back at Mingus I noticed he'd become engrossed in his phone so I took the opportunity to change my angle. Bending to my knees I lifted the camera, catching just the edge of the stairs as the view climbed over the library. I waited until a lady in a bright red cost stepped out, the swinging door blowing her hair off her shoulders and her thick black sunglasses reflected the afternoon sun. 

 

I would keep this shot just for me. 

 

“Hey,” Mingus noticed. 

 

Standing up I gave him a sheepish grin, “Sorry, kid, artistic habits,” 

 

The look he gave me as not amused but I managed a laugh out of Norman who stepped over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, his lips pressing against my cheek.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered into the kiss

I nodded before pulling away so I could pack my camera up and Mingus explained the last place he wanted to go for the day. It was a building that forty years ago was nothing but construction. We hailed yet another cab, climbed inside and let Mingus give instructions on where he wanted to go. 

 

“Y'alls kid is a smart ass,” The cabbie eyed us from the back seat. 

 

Norman snorted grabbing my hand, “Yeah he gets it from his mom,” 

 

Mingus rolled his eyes looking out the window with a smirk pulling his lips up and the resemblance between the two of them was astonishing. He looks like Helena, there is no denying his mother at all but when you really look, when he smiles or laugh; that's all Norman. 

 

“Here!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. 

 

The cabbie narrowly missed hitting another pedestrian when Mingus opened the door jumping out of the vehicle. Norman protested but his words fell on deaf ears as his son looked up at the grand building that was once a New York hotel. The original front end was being torn away, the name brings covered by a large tarp that was dripping water into a paint can. 

 

Norman helped me set the camera up, his eyes wandering back in forth between the building and his son. I saw something flash behind his eyes, his mouth settling into a smile before he moved over to Mingus and whispered in his ear. I watched for a moment before crouching down to be eye level with the camera. Snapping a few different angles I pulled the stand back and looked up and down the building until I felt a tap on my shoulder. 

 

Mingus smiled, “Let me try,” 

 

“Have at it,”

 

We stood back as he shot the building. I felt Norman's hand come up my back to slide back down and settle at my waist before pulling me into him. Turning my head I smiled as I pressed a kiss to the side of his neck and snuggled against him. 

 

“Thank you,” he whispered. 

 

I nodded, “Anything for the kid,” he squeezed me tighter

  
  


I sat cross-legged on the couch my hand wrapped around a cup of cocoa as I waited for the boys to decide what movie they wanted to watch. It was a toss in the air between  _ Guardians of The Galaxy  _ and  _ Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy  _ when I heard Norman's phone go off. 

 

“Dude,” He answered it quickly rising from the couch to leave Mingus and me alone. His son turned and winked at me before slipping Guardians into the Blu ray player. 

 

I laughed sitting further back into the couch and waited. Once Norman had returned he rolled his eyes at the movie but sat down next to me and threw his arm over the back of the couch. 

 

“Any plans for tomorrow?” He pulled me against his side.

 

I shook my head, “Not really why?” 

 

“Andy will be in town and wants to know if he could stay here. I told him it was no problem and he asked if we’d want to go out to eat,” 

 

Grinning I agreed it had been months since I’d seen my favorite brit and I was in desperate need for some Andy charm. Norman turned and smiled at me lifting my face to press a kiss to my lips his mouth guiding mine open until we were slowly making out on the couch. His hand came up to tangle in my arm but we pulled away when Mingus made a throaty noise. Looking over at his son sheepishly he tucked me under his arms and we all settled into the movie and for the first time, I felt like I fit somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took so long like I've said before I've been busy and Now I'm in Georgia on vacation for the Walker Stalker con on the 28th. 
> 
> I am currently working on the next chapter but I hope you enjoy, I wanted to show the relationship between the three of them and prove that she and Mingus have gotten to know one another well enough that he asks for help and Norman feels like they are a family.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for my lack of love for you all and for this story. 
> 
> I will try better- I just was hit with some mad writers block and life didn't agree with me. 
> 
> Please enjoy this sick attempt at an apology!

**_The cold air nipped at Sunniva’s cheeks until she ducked her head against the wind and fell into the taxi. Her eyes burning from the blast of air, lips aching for chap stick that she could barely pull out of her pocket._ **

**_“Where to?” The cabbie looked back at her._ **

**_She cursed and pulled her phone from her coat, “Uh- 18th street,” he eyed her but nodded and drove on through the blasting snow. Thankfully the cabbie had the heat turned up full blast so for a few quick moments Sunnie was allowed to savor the warmth, her cheeks soaking in the feeling as she closed her eyes and rubbed her hands together. She had never been to New York before, but some illusion in the back of her mind tricked her into believing it would be beautiful despite the ramparts of snow and ice._ **

**_She made a mistake._ **

**_“Here,” The cabbie pulled outside of a tall, grey stone apartment building. Sunnie looked up, her heart catching in her throat every time her eyes rose and rose until they shot back and noticed the figured squatting on the steps of the building, a hand lifting to his lips then falling until air circled around him._ **

**_She recognized the flick of his wrist causing a swarm of butterflies to release inside of her and carrying across her body. He was waiting for her._ **

**_She made a mistake._ **

**_“Miss,” The cabbie grunted. Sunnie blinked,_ **

**_“Oh, uh, sorry. How much?” He told her and raised a brow when she handed him forty and just walked out of the cab, her suitcase dropping down beside her and slamming into her calf. She couldn’t stop watching him, watching his head tilt back to blow the smoke into the air before looking down at his phone then pulling another drag; he hadn’t noticed her yet._ **

**_Taking advantage she walked slowly to him keeping her head down as to not show her identity yet. She came up to the edge of the steps, kneeling down to pull her phone from her suitcase she texted him; Hey, which one? Norman jumped up, turning around to stare up at the building and she took a second to step up behind him as he started describing how his apartment building looked._ **

**_“I meant the number,” She said out loud causing him to jump and spin around. His shock disappeared the moment he laid eyes on her and a smile stretched out across his face._ **

**_“Sunshine,” he caused her to drop the suitcase as he picked her up in a crushing hug, his face burying itself in her neck._ **

**_Sunnie couldn’t hold back the laughter that erupted inside her as he swung her around._ ** **_Norman’s face buried into her neck as he breathed in her coconut shampoo and Velvet Sugar lotion, it burned him up._ **

**_Once he had her feet back on the ground, his left arm still wrapped tightly around her to keep her chest pressed against his, he looked into her blue eyes and grinned. “Hey,” He lowered his voice._ **

**_The blush that crept up her neck to settle in her cheeks was tantalizing, “Hey,” she titled her chin up. He nearly kissed her, but held back._ **

**_“Come on,” Dropping the cigarette and he leaned over to pick up her bag and lead her into his apartment building._ **

**_The warm air melted over them as they patiently rode the elevator to the sixth floor, neither one talking but never letting the other go as if the cold air was still pushing them for warmth. Once they had emerged from the elevator Norman let go of the blonde long enough to unlock his door and swing her bag inside. Sunnie took in the hallway entrance, her mouth widening to speak but before she could process the environment Norman had her in his arms again._ **

**_His kiss was unexpected but warm and familiar he had lifted her up so her back pressed into the wall and her legs were tight around his waist. They explored one another’s mouth in his hallway, tasting the familiar way their tongues ran together as if they had been doing it their whole lives._ **

**_Sunnie moaned when Norman’s teeth tugged at her bottom lip, this prompted him to pull her back from the wall and walk them into the living room to sit on the couch. Her back hitting the leather sofa in a woosh but his teeth distracted her once more as he worked down her neck and over her collarbone. Discarding her scarf then her jacket and within moments both of them had managed to remove their first layer of clothing and the only thing keeping them apart were thin shirts and tight pants. “_ **

**_I missed you,” Norman murmured into her hair when they were cuddled together for the first time in his home._ **

**_“I like your apartment,” Sunnie smiled_**.

******

My phone woke me up at 7:35 am the next day every fiber in my being told me to ignore it, just roll over and cuddle closer to Norm and get some sleep, but I am an adult and adults answer their phones.

“Hello,” I croaked after sliding the green accept icon.

“Did I wake you?” I groaned at the wisp of a southern accent.

“Whats up, Erin,” My assistant clicked her tongue ring over the phone a nervous habit I had grown accustomed to when it was four in the afternoon and she had a cup of cocoa for me to sip from.

Erin breathed her words, “I actually was wondering if you had some time today to do a one o’clock shoot? The client is coming from New Jersey and can meet you wherever you need her,” She paused for a moment the sound of clicking resumed, “She is willing to pay for the premium package and it will be in credit,”

I rubbed my forehead lifting up from the warmth of Norman’s presence, “What's her information?"

Half an hour later I was wide awake and pulling up my email to view my potential clients background. She was a beautiful young woman with shimmering red hair and a smile I knew would light up the moment my camera begins to click. She’ll be an enjoyable subject to capture, unearthly and goddess like enough that the world would bend at her will. Seeing natural beauty made my job so worth it, to see these young beautiful models glow in what they do was the perfect gift.

The young woman whom was my new subject was twenty-two years old, born and raised in new jersey and has done amateur modeling since she was six years old and could run in three-inch heels.

“Amy Little, five foot nine inches without heels weighs the amount that means she needs a cheeseburger,” I grumbled into my hand as I printed out the file Erin emailed to me. Turning towards the printer a shiver of glee ran through me that this would be my first client since officially moving to New York.

Suppressing a giggle I pinched all the papers into a red folder followed by my standard contract and a waiver for her photos to become public. This felt normal and a whisper of what my life will be like for now brushed over me. Erin would always be pulling me away from Norman instead of Norman pulling me away from work. I will be passing along a card that said New York instead of Varying Locations, this will be my home. Slipping the folder into my work bag I made sure to bend the label and place the bag on the couch before slowly walking back to the room. Norman had rolled off my pillow and sprawled out across the bed. His chest rising and falling and my eyes locked on his Norman tattoo wanting to trace across it with my lips.

I did.

Carefully straddling him I kissed over his Norman tattoo, my tongue brushing his nipple causing him to stir but settle quickly. I let my lips barely trace over his skin, moving my hips to grind down against his morning wood pulling a low moan from his chest. I couldn't stop grinning by the time I ghosted my lips across his _Lemmy_ tattoo. My tongue tracing the simple outline, placing kisses along his chest before moving to his X tattoo and biting down.

“Fuck,” Norman moaned his hands reaching up to grab my waist as his eyes flashed open.

I grinded against him, his eyes caught mine and lust pooled into his blue orbs, “Sunshine?”

Nipping his ear I grinned, “Morning,” Moving my hips over his erection he laughed,

“Morning,” I bit down again moaning with him as he bucked up and hit my warmth.

“Take them off,” He groaned. The yoga pants were gone in seconds Norman’s teeth nipping at my hip bones causing me to wriggle beneath him. “Did you wake me for this, Sunshine?” He pulled my panties down, his fingers brushing my warmth, “woke me up to feel how wet you are?”

“I couldn't resist,” he pushed two fingers inside of me his thumb rubbing my clit until I moved against his hand. I gasped when his teeth caught my nipple, tongue flicking across the sensitive bud.

“I wanna fuck you so badly,” He pressed his fingers in deeper moving them in just the right way where I could feel that slow burn of an orgasm.

“Please,” my hand slipped into his boxers feeling his length throb beneath my beneath my palm.

His eyes fluttered closed, “Sunnie,” He bucked his hips into my hand, mouth falling open at the friction. My heart stuttered watching him fuck himself into my hand, his blue eyes opening and closing with each pump. If I could watch this man in the folds of bliss my whole life I would have it all.

“Fuck,” His face changed.

“Norman-” He pushed me back, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Quiet,” my stomach jolted, “Spread your legs, Baby,” I obeyed my heart racing as he traced a finger over my wet folds and bit his lip, “You woke me up, Sunshine,” He leaned down to kiss the inside of my thigh. His teeth nipping at the tender flesh before sucking; hard.

I jumped causing him to stop, ‘Do not move,” He warned me and I shivered as he sucked again. I could feel the blood rising and my pussy tightened with anticipation. When he seemed satisfied with his work he kissed the mark until the pulse faded before his lips brushed over my wetness. “I was woken up because your tight little warmth wanted me,”

I wanted to scream that no, I just couldn't resist what was mine but I bit my lip and tried not to moan as he slid his tongue over my clit, “Well, Sunshine, we're going to finish my dream than,” He sucked on me pushing down on my stomach so I wouldn't move when my juices flowed over his mouth, “I'm going to eat you until you beg to cum,” again he sucked me until my juices ran down my own thighs my legs shaking against him, “and then I'm going to fuck you until you see stars,” I barely held back the moans as he slid his tongue into me.

His fingers joining him as he urged me to fuck myself over him. I couldn't think straight my entire body on fire as Norman slid his tongue in and out and over my clit, his fingers working inside of me as his facial hair grinded friction against my tender folds until i could feel that tightening feeling deep inside my stomach.

“Nor- Norman I-”

“God, fuck, baby,” I could feel myself dripping over him and I wanted so badly to cum.

“Please,” I whined when he pulled away from me and slide his body over mine.

Blue eyes locked with blue eyes as he slammed his cock into me and I lost it. He kept pounding, his head hitting my walls over and over and I quivered around him. Again that build picked up inside of me, my legs pulled up his waist as he moved inside of me,

“Yes, again baby,” He moaned. Grinding against him I barely heard him call out my name before the room disappeared in a haze of euphoria.

 

“You were dreaming about us?” I whispered into his chest. Norman hummed his fingers trailing over my shoulder than down my arm until goosebumps rose.

“Believe it or not, Sunshine, I dream about you alot,” his chest rumbled with laughter.

Smiling I snuggled deeper against him. “It's been eight years,” I kissed his chest brushing my hand back and forth over the sparse chest hair.

Norman laughed, “I remember the first day on set when you ran into the backdrop,”

lifting up I smacked his arm. “I was trying to snap pictures of your stupid self,” His blue eyes lit up before pulling me back down and rolling us so he rested on my stomach.

He kissed my belly ring, “I love you,”

I brushed his hair back, “I love you,”

“Say it again,”

“I love you,” He smiled laying his head down and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Sunshine,” He mumbled.

“Norman,” He kissed my belly his facial hair brushing the skin and raising goosebumps over my flesh.

“I don't want kids or anything but our genes would make an awesome baby,” He laughed into my stomach before kissing me again and resting his chin on my hip so he could look up at me.

I tried not to cringe, “Yeah. I guess they would,” acid burned my stomach but I just shifted closer to him. Letting his body heat to wash over me, his heartbeat soothing me into a drowsy nap.

 

_Movement_.

_Everything was completely still but there is supposed to be movement. “No,” My hands wrapped around me pulling myself back together just to feel the movement._

**_CRACK_** _the light bulbs overhead pop, showering me in slicing bits that ate their way through my shirt to pick at my skin. My raw skin that hurt and ached but I couldn't feel movement. “I love you,” His hands were brushing across my swollen stomach, fingers tracing the belly button before he disappeared and a gloved hand was pulling my arms as I screamed. “Sunnie,”_

_Echos._

_He echoed around me laughing, coughing and rubbing my stomach trying to feel movement._

 

My eyes flashed open, Norman was still cuddled against my stomach but he has draped off to the other side of the bed. Heart racing I moved him from me, shaking my head against the nausea that threatened to rise.

Rubbing my hands over my stomach I fought back the tears but lost out as they rolled down my cheeks to dry into the bed sheets. Just tell him. How? My eyes scanned over the clock 11:24 flashed back at me.

“Shower,” I murmured pulling myself from the bed to pad across the room towards the adjoining bathroom.

The room moved slowly, or was it just me trying to catch up with the presence? Flashes of my nightmare went through my head over and over echoing Norman’s words as if I was deep within a cavern and he had screamed them out.

Stumbling into the bathroom I avoided the mirror, stripping my clothes off and for once I let my eyes fall across the faint scar across the small of my abdomen. Finger tracing the soft pink line over and over, back and forth begging to feel something but the shiny scar. I had asked them to make it as small as possible.

My mother had helped pay for the second surgery where they had to fix the staple marks left over from the-

I can’t even bring myself to think it.

Stepping into the shower I let the warm water roll over my skin wiping away the nightmare as well as it could. For almost ten years I’ve been wrecked with nightmares some so violent I can’t sleep for days but when I met Norman they became easier to handle. I started to sleep for more than a couple of hours at night, I didn’t have to throw myself into a self-made project just to focus my life into place.

Norman made it easier for me to live again. Cold swept over my shoulder, down my spine to settle in my stomach twisting into an icy coil. I need to tell Norman the truth, I need to come clean about my past and who I am. I- I need to give him all the pieces he has given me.

Scrubbing across my body I fought the tears that threatened to fall, my hand immediately avoiding the scar that burned memories into my body. The scar that reminded me everyday of a horrible life I can never truly escape from no matter how far I run. No matter how deep I hide. No matter who I become. The tears fell.

 

\---

 

“Yeah, I was thinking I could - TAXI- I walked down to the café at the corner for a hot chocolate, shut up I wanted one- TAXI, oh thank you. I was thinking I could meet up with you and Andy at the apartment? When are you all leaving,” climbing into the cab I directed the cabbie to my apartment/studio before settling into the back seat.

“If you get done with the client by five then we can meet at the apartment,” Norman answered from his end, honking clear as he drove through the crowded life that is New York.

He was on his way to pick up Andy from the airport before calling me to distinguish our plans. This felt widely domesticated.

I might have butterflies.

“I can let you know. If I finish after five I’ll text ya and you can just let me know with place to meet you at,” I smiled.

Norman made a grunting noise in my ear, “Can do, Sunshine,”

\---

I was setting the white wall, what I call the white backdrop I always use for starting clients before moving to into their comfort element, when I heard a tiny knock at the door. Checking the time I bit back a nervous smile. It’s not like she is the first model I’ve ever shot before, but, she is the first model I’ve ever shot in my new studio.

I couldn’t stop the bursting grin from escaping. “You must be Amy,” I used as a way of greeting when I opened to see a shy looking red-head cradling a tote bag.

She gave me a small smile, “I, uh, sorry, yeah I’m Amy,” she offered her hand and I shook it carefully before guiding her into the apartment.

“The room of to the right,” what was supposed to be my guest bedroom, “Is the changing and costume room. I don’t have my assistant with me so it’s just you and me, sweetie,” Her shoulders seemed to relax at that and I was able to take in her slim build. Her portfolio photos did no justice to the lithe frame her body held. When she walked she managed to give her hips a small swing, not enough to draw attention but enough to keep it if you looked. It screamed runway, but her shoulder hold showed signs of self conscious weariness.

“I love your work,” She called out from the room.

I examined the camera in my hand taking a couple of practice shot, “Thank you, sugar,”

There was a clunk then a zipper sound that I knew meant she was pulling out make up, “feel free to use the boudoir mirror plus the body length one inside the closet, oh but be careful the handle catches on the door,” A faint thank you called out to me.

Smiling I set to work making sure all three angle cameras connected to the laptop and on their respective timers. My playlist was pulled up as well starting out soft with some Ed Sheeran to help ease everyone into the mood.

This was my scene.

This was my space.

Almost ten years ago I started out doing Walmart photo shoots, sending in candid shots to different photography magazines hoping someone would notice me, hoping anyone would take pity. Soon Victoria Secret picked me up for website stills (I even got some free merchandise which came in handy) followed by other name brand clothing companies. When I did my first commercial for Calvin Klein that was when Hollywood departments begun to take notice of my work.

My fingers still shake when I remember getting a call from John Toll, director of photography for Iron Man. I couldn’t breathe my stomach lurching to a stand still as I echoed a yes over and over to every question he had.

_“Filming is almost over but I desperately need a hand for the last two months, my son is being born and I’ve seen your work. I think you can you do it."_

I thought I panicked when I met Norman, I nearly passed out when Robert held his hand out and winked a hello at me.

“Is this okay?” A small voice tugged me from my past.

Turning around I smiled. Amy had donned a navy blue drop waist dress that stopped just at her knees, white buttons came up the middle and a fresh white color accented her shoulders. She had swept her long hair back, pinning the right side up but left the left side to fall in cascading waves over her shoulders. Light, very light, rose-colored blush dusted her cheeks bringing out subtle freckles that made her eyes shine, “Perfect,”

She grinned a blush creeping up her neck before she motioned to the back drop, “What do I start with,”

“I need simple shots first. Lets do two of you just simply smiling; that dress gives you the innocent girl-next-door look so I want to play that,”

She did as I told. With each shot she grew more and more comfortable until soon the camera begged to have her in front of it. After the dress we did a pair of high-waisted jeans with a frilly white halter that stood out against her skin. She spun and circles hair fanning out around her. Two more outfits each a little more daring, each showing a different side to this Amy Little whom resides of Jersey and laughs as if the world has never told her no. Each shot reminds me more and more why I love my job.

We were in the middle of going over her bikini shots her eyes scrutinizing the way she hunched forwards when my phone went off. ‘Sorry,” I reached for it.

Andy’s name flashed across the screen and I noticed the time mentally kicking myself for not checking it before.

“Hey,” I turned my back to Amy wincing as I heard Norman holler in the background.

“Hello, sugarplum, just thought I’d inform you it's almost six o’clock and Norman is refusing to leave until he knows you are ready-will you leave me alone, dear,” Andy grunted and Norman’s laughter echoed out, “Its also a wee bit tipsy, love,”

I sighed, “I’m sorry I got so caught up I lose track of time, wait, why you know what never mind. Alright, I’ll finish up here and then meet you all at the apartment?”My shoulders tensed.

Andy hummed, “I shall tell Normski, LEAVE MY ASS ALONE, REEDUS,” With that the call ended and I turned back around to a nervous Amy wringing her hands.

“I didn’t meant to keep you,” She chewed her bottom lip.

I waved it off, “No, no, no just -uh- my boyfriend and our friend are being impatient.  You go ahead and get changed and I’ll be sure to email you the last options by the end of the week, yeah?” She beamed.

Giving me a tight hug before disappearing into the room to change. I rounded up my things, double checking I had all things tucked and packed away before grabbing my carrying camera and slinging my bag over my shoulder. Once Amy finished I guided her out of the door and walked her down to the street.

“Do you need a cab or did you-” She lifted her hand in a wave at a familiar figure on the other side of the road.

My stomach did a flip before curling tightly in on itself as a curling smirk pulled up the lips of a man walked towards us. His dark hair tucked beneath a cap but I recognized him, my heart leapt in my chest as I remembered him pressing against him, “Hey baby,” Chet the mover kissed Amy on the cheek.

“Chet, this is Sunniva O’Donnell, she did an amazing job today! You should see how my photos turned out! When she emails them I promise-” A buzzing noise in the back of my head drowned out Amy’s rambling as Chet’s dark eyes looked me over.

Our encounter was brief but it lodged a painful rail into my chest that if Norman hadn’t had entered the apartment when he did this guys -

“Thanks Miss O’Donnell for making my girl so damn happy,” He grinned, “It was nice to meet you,”


End file.
